Difference between revisions of "Sega Mega Drive"

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m (Text replacement - "maker=Sega" to "maker=Sega Enterprises, Ltd.")
 
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{{ConsoleBob
 
{{ConsoleBob
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| logos=[[File:Megadrive EU Logo.png|320px]]
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| logo=Mega Drive Japanese logo.png
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| consoleimage=Megadrive1.jpg
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| consoleimage=MD1 JP console set.jpg
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| imgwidth=200px
+
| maker=[[Sega Enterprises, Ltd.]]
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| consoleimage2=Megadrive2.jpg
 
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| imgwidth2=120px
 
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| maker=[[Sega]]
 
 
| variants=Mega Drive 2, [[Genesis 3]], [[Mega Jet]], [[Nomad]], [[Mega Tech]], [[Mega Play]], [[Amstrad Mega PC]]
 
| variants=Mega Drive 2, [[Genesis 3]], [[Mega Jet]], [[Nomad]], [[Mega Tech]], [[Mega Play]], [[Amstrad Mega PC]]
−
| add-ons=[[Sega Mega-CD]], [[Sega 32X]], [[Mega Modem]], [[Power Base Converter]]
+
| add-ons=[[Mega-CD]], [[Sega 32X]], [[Mega Modem]], [[Power Base Converter]]
 
| releases={{releasesMD
 
| releases={{releasesMD
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| md_date_jp=1988-10-29
+
| md_date_jp=1988-10-29{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20180322225726/https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/}}
 
| md_rrp_jp=21,000
 
| md_rrp_jp=21,000
 
| md_code_jp=HAA-2510
 
| md_code_jp=HAA-2510
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| md_date_us_1=1989-08-14
 
| md_date_us_1=1989-08-14
 
| md_rrp_us_1=200.00
 
| md_rrp_us_1=200.00
−
| md_code_us_1=MK-1600
+
| md_code_us_1=MK-1601
 
| md_type_us_1=NY/LA
 
| md_type_us_1=NY/LA
 
| md_date_us_2=1989-08
 
| md_date_us_2=1989-08
 
| md_rrp_us_2=200.00
 
| md_rrp_us_2=200.00
−
| md_code_us_2=MK-1600
+
| md_code_us_2=MK-1601
 
| md_type_us_2=Nationwide
 
| md_type_us_2=Nationwide
  
 
| md_date_uk=1990-09-14
 
| md_date_uk=1990-09-14
−
| md_rrp_uk=189.99{{fileref|CVG UK 106.pdf|page=13}}{{fileref|ACE UK 37.pdf|page=51}}
+
| md_rrp_uk=189.99{{magref|cvg|106|13}}{{magref|ace|37|51}}
 
| md_code_uk=1600-05
 
| md_code_uk=1600-05
 
| md_date_fr=1990-09
 
| md_date_fr=1990-09
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| md_code_de=1600-18
 
| md_code_de=1600-18
 
| md_date_es=1990
 
| md_date_es=1990
 +
| md_rrp_es=38,900{{magref|micromania2|29|63}}
 
| md_code_es=1600-06
 
| md_code_es=1600-06
 
| md_date_nl=1991
 
| md_date_nl=1991
 
| md_rrp_nl=399
 
| md_rrp_nl=399
 
| md_code_nl=1600-20
 
| md_code_nl=1600-20
−
| md_date_it=1990-11{{fileref|K IT 22.pdf|page=21}}
+
| md_date_it=1990-11{{magref|k|22|21}}
−
| md_rrp_it=399.000{{fileref|K IT 22.pdf|page=21}}
+
| md_rrp_it=399,000{{magref|k|22|21}}
 
| md_code_it=1600-13
 
| md_code_it=1600-13
−
| md_date_se=1990
+
| md_date_se=1990-09-27
−
| md_rrp_se=
+
| md_rrp_se=1995
 
| md_code_se=1600-24
 
| md_code_se=1600-24
−
| md_date_pt=199x
+
| md_date_pt=1991
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| md_date_gr=199x
+
| md_date_gr=1991
 +
| md_date_si=1993
 +
| md_rrp_si=24,990
 +
| md_date_ru=1994-04
 +
| md_date_pl=1992<ref>Video Club #20 page 23</ref>
 +
| md_date_cz=1992-10
 +
| md_rrp_cz=4,579{{magref|abc|37-16|31}}
  
−
| md_date_au=199x
+
| md_date_au=1990-09{{magref|mz|6|50}}
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| md_rrp_au=
+
| md_rrp_au=349.00{{magref|mz|10|25}}
 
| md_code_au=1600-03
 
| md_code_au=1600-03
−
| md_date_nz=199x
+
| md_date_nz=1990
 
| md_rrp_nz=
 
| md_rrp_nz=
 
| md_code_nz=
 
| md_code_nz=
−
 
+
| md_date_cn=1993-10<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210622072008/https://techmonitor.ai/technology/sega_starts_test_marketing_new_machine</ref>
 
| md_date_br=1990-12
 
| md_date_br=1990-12
 +
| md_rrp_br=70,000,00Cr${{ref|https://acervo.estadao.com.br/publicados/1990/11/22/g/19901122-35513-nac-0081-eco-9-not-aaweass.jpg}}
 
| md_code_br=010300
 
| md_code_br=010300
 
| md_date_kr=1990-05
 
| md_date_kr=1990-05
 
| md_rrp_kr=154,000
 
| md_rrp_kr=154,000
−
| md_date_in=1995
+
| md_date_in=1994-04{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20200621193514/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/economy/story/19940430-shaw-wallace-to-manufacture-market-sega-tv-games-in-india-810502-1994-04-30}}
 
| md_rrp_in=18,000
 
| md_rrp_in=18,000
−
| md_date_th=199x
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| md_date_za=199x
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| md_date_mx=19xx
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| md_date_mx=1991
 +
| md_date_tr=1992
 +
| md_date_ar=1992-06
 +
| md_rrp_ar=
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
−
<section begin=intro />The '''Sega Mega Drive''' (メガドライブ), called the '''Sega Genesis''' in North America and '''Super Gam*Boy''' (수퍼겜보이) (later '''Super Aladdin Boy''' (수퍼알라딘 보이) in South Korea, is a [[cartridge]]-based video game console developed by [[Sega]] in 1988.
+
<section begin=intro />The '''Mega Drive''' (メガドライブ), called the '''Sega Genesis''' in North America and '''Super Gam*Boy''' (수퍼겜보이), later '''Super Aladdin Boy''' (수퍼알라딘 보이) in South Korea, is a [[cartridge]]-based video game console developed by [[Sega]] in 1988.
  
−
The Mega Drive is [[Sega]]'s third home console, following the [[SG-1000]] (including [[SG-1000 II]]) and the [[Sega Master System]] ([[Sega Mark III|Mark III]]). It was codenamed the '''Sega Mark V''' during development and is part of what is now known as the fourth generation of video game consoles.
+
Codenamed the '''Sega Mark V''' during development<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqdN_L4YaDE#t=7m45</ref> it is Sega's fifth video game console (following the [[SG-1000]], [[SG-1000 II]], [[Sega Mark III]] and [[Sega Master System]]) to be released, but only the second substantial hardware upgrade. The Mega Drive's selling point was its 16-bit main processor, which in adddition to superior graphics capabilities, allowed for a more advanced gaming experience previously limited to the arcades.
  
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The Mega Drive is Sega's most successful video game console, selling over 40 million units worldwide,{{intref|Interview: Joe Miller (2013-02-07) by Sega-16}} including more than 20 million in the United States, over 9 million in Western Europe, 3.58 million in Japan, and 3 million in Brazil.{{ref|[[wikia:w:c:vgsales:Fourth generation of video games|Fourth generation of video games]]}}<section end=intro />
+
The Mega Drive is Sega's most successful video game console, with 40 million hardware units sold worldwide,{{intref|Interview: Joe Miller (2013-02-07) by Sega-16}} including more than 20 million in the United States, over 9 million in Western Europe, 3.58 million in Japan, and 3 million in Brazil.{{ref|[[wikia:w:c:vgsales:Fourth generation of video games|Fourth generation of video games]]}} It has a [[List of Mega Drive games|software library]] consisting of more than one thousand games; more than previous generations of Sega hardware combined.<section end=intro />
  
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It has a software library consisting of more than one thousand games released for the system in total. As well as competing with Nintendo's Famicom (NES) and later Super Famicom (Super NES) for market control, Sega also found itself fighting against [[NEC]]'s TurboGrafx-16 (PC Engine in Japan), [[SNK]]'s Neo Geo, the Atari Jaguar and numerous home computers in one of the biggest "console wars" of all time.
+
As well as competing with [[Nintendo]]'s [[Famicom]] (NES) and later [[Super Famicom]] (SNES), Sega also found itself fighting against [[NEC]]'s [[nec:PC Engine|PC Engine]] ([[nec:TurboGrafx-16|TurboGrafx-16]]), [[SNK]]'s Neo Geo, the Atari Jaguar, and numerous home computers, driving the term "console war" as it attempted to acheive market dominance. While the Super NES ended up surpassing the Mega Drive in worldwide hardware sales (49 million), more software was sold for Sega's console, and its 16:1 attach ratio was double that of the SNES.{{intref|Press release: 1997-06-04: Sega Lowers Price on Hardware, Software}}
  
−
It had a [[cartridge]] enhancement chip, the [[Sega Virtua Processor]] (SVP), and two add-on consoles, the [[Sega CD]] and [[32X]]. The Mega Drive would be succeeded by the [[Sega Saturn]] (released in 1994), and then the [[Sega Dreamcast]] (released in 1998).
+
The Mega Drive saw two major expansions to extend its shelf life, first with [[Sega Mega-CD]] in 1991 and later the [[Sega 32X]] in 1994. The Mega Drive would be succeeded by the [[Sega Saturn]] (also released in 1994), though was still receiving officially licensed games as late as 2000.
  
 
==Hardware==
 
==Hardware==
−
The Mega Drive was envisioned at the next technological step over other video game consoles available at the time. It is a "16-bit" machine, named after its use of a 16-bit CPU (in this case, the [[Motorola 68000]]), and was marketed as being superior to popular "8-bit" consoles dominating the market at the time, usually the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES) but sometimes its immediate predecessor, the Sega Master System. 16-bit CPUs had been gaining popularity since the mid-80s, were widely used in [[arcade]] machines, and were almost expected to be found in new home computers - it was therefore considered logical that the next "generation" of dedicated video game consoles should follow suit.
+
The Mega Drive was envisioned at the next technological step over other video game consoles available at the time. It is a "16-bit" machine, named after its use of a 16-bit CPU (in this case, the [[Motorola 68000]]), and was marketed as being superior to the "8-bit" consoles dominating the market at the time, including the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES) and the Sega Master System. 16-bit CPUs had been gaining popularity since the mid-80s, were widely used in [[arcade]] machines, and were almost expected to be found in new home computers - it was therefore considered logical that the next "generation" of dedicated video game consoles should follow suit.
  
 
The Mega Drive builds on technology found in the Master System (and with adaptors, is fully backwards compatible), though as well as upping the technical specifications for more demanding gameplay, sound and graphics, makes a number of crucial changes to the design of consoles which continue to this day. Firstly it added a third face button, {{C}}, to the (now ergonomically designed) [[Control Pad (Mega Drive)|control pad]]. The Mega Drive outputs sound in stereo, and makes an attempt to region lock games through software. Also, when utilising the right cables, the Mega Drive is natively able to produce a clearer image than its rivals (on top of its already higher resolution 320x240 display).
 
The Mega Drive builds on technology found in the Master System (and with adaptors, is fully backwards compatible), though as well as upping the technical specifications for more demanding gameplay, sound and graphics, makes a number of crucial changes to the design of consoles which continue to this day. Firstly it added a third face button, {{C}}, to the (now ergonomically designed) [[Control Pad (Mega Drive)|control pad]]. The Mega Drive outputs sound in stereo, and makes an attempt to region lock games through software. Also, when utilising the right cables, the Mega Drive is natively able to produce a clearer image than its rivals (on top of its already higher resolution 320x240 display).
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<gallery widths="250px" heights="200px">
 
<gallery widths="250px" heights="200px">
−
Megadrive1.jpg|Japanese model
+
MD1 Japan early version.jpg|Japanese model
 
Genesis1.jpg|North American model
 
Genesis1.jpg|North American model
 
Megadrive1e.jpg|European model
 
Megadrive1e.jpg|European model
−
Mega Drive Model 1 BR Tectoy.jpg|Brazilian Model
+
Mega Drive Model 1 BR Tectoy.jpg|Brazilian model
−
Mega Drive 2 Model 1 BR Tectoy.jpg|Brazilian Model (Named Mega Drive 2 Launch 1992)
+
Mega Drive 2 Model 1 BR Tectoy.jpg|Brazilian model (Mega Drive II)
−
Sega Mega Drive (pal asia).jpg|Asian model
+
MD JP NonHD.jpg|Asian model
−
Samsungmegadrive.jpg|South Korean model
+
SuperGamBoy.jpg|South Korean model
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
====Mega Drive 2====
 
====Mega Drive 2====
−
1993 saw this cost-reduced redesign (known as the Mega Drive II in Europe, and sold simply as "Genesis" in North America without the Sega prefix), at 22 cm×21.2 cm×5.9 cm, being introduced internationally. One of the major revisions from the original model was the removal of the headphones jack in favor of stereo output through a redesigned 9-pin A/V port. American and European models used a momentary switch for power while non-western models used a left-right switch. Furthermore, the audio mixing circuitry was modified, resulting in noticeably different quality audio output — [http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/sega_comparisons/ here is a page with audio samples, provided by little-scale].
+
1993 saw this cost-reduced redesign (known as the Mega Drive II in Europe, and sold simply as "Genesis" in North America without the Sega prefix), at 22 cm×21.2 cm×5.9 cm, being introduced internationally. One of the major revisions from the original model was the removal of the headphones jack in favor of stereo output through a redesigned 9-pin A/V port. The Mega Drive 2 also used an external RF modulator (all non-Japanese Mega Drive models had an internal modulator), which was packed in with Western systems. American and European models also used a push-button toggle switch for power while non-Western models used a slide switch like the original model. Furthermore, the audio mixing circuitry was modified, resulting in noticeably different quality audio output — [https://web.archive.org/web/20210829001203/http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/sega_comparisons/ here is a page with audio samples, provided by little-scale].
  
−
A common myth is that the Mega Drive 2 lacks a [[Z80]] — the truth is that it lacks a '''[[Zilog]]''' Z80. During the Mega Drive's lifetime, Sega received various off-the-shelf chips from different manufacturers, and sometimes would rebrand chips as their own or make them themselves, which is what happened here (and which is why each Mega Drive has a different manufacturer for its [[68000]]). If the Z80 was missing, most games would have no sound (or not all sound). In later revisions, the Z80 was integrated into a custom ASIC which also incorporated the major chips of the system.
+
Contrary to popular belief, this model does indeed have a '''[[Zilog]]''' [[Z80]] — albeit in a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quad_flat_package QFP-44 form factor]. This version of the Z80 is not immediately recognizable compared to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_in-line_package DIP] Z80, which is used in all revisions of the original Mega Drive. Had the Z80 been missing, most games would often have little to no sound. Beginning with the VA4 board revision, the Z80 was integrated into a custom ASIC which also incorporated major chips of the system.
  
 
<gallery widths="250px" heights="160px">
 
<gallery widths="250px" heights="160px">
−
Megadrive2.jpg|Japanese model
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Megadrive2.jpg|Japanese/Asian model
 
Genesis2.jpg|North American model
 
Genesis2.jpg|North American model
 
Megadrive2e.jpg|European model
 
Megadrive2e.jpg|European model
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Super Aladdin Boy II.jpg|South Korean model
+
MD Super Aladdin Boy II KR New.jpg|South Korean model
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
====Genesis 3====
 
====Genesis 3====
 
{{MainArticle|Genesis 3}}
 
{{MainArticle|Genesis 3}}
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[[File:Genesis3.jpg|right|thumb|A Genesis 3.]]The Genesis 3 was a small version manufactured by Majesco in 1998 for the American market, which they had been manufacturing for until then. It is much smaller than its predecessors and lacks all expansions and fixes memory controller bugs — both rendering some games unplayable and the Sega CD and 32X unusable.
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[[File:Genesis3.jpg|right|thumb|A Genesis 3.]]The Genesis 3 was a small version manufactured by Majesco in 1998 for the US market, which they had been manufacturing for until then. It is much smaller than its predecessors and lacks all expansions and fixes memory controller bugs — both rendering some games unplayable and the Sega CD and 32X unusable.
  
 
====Portables: Mega Jet and Nomad====
 
====Portables: Mega Jet and Nomad====
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====Modern System-on-a-Chip compilations====
 
====Modern System-on-a-Chip compilations====
 
A variety of companies now make licensed system-on-a-chip units in a variety of fashions that contain single-chip Mega Drive implementations and several licensed ROM images. [[TecToy]]-made SoaCs also contain several "new" MD games, however these are believed to be — and likely are — Java 2 Mobile Edition games running on additional hardware. For a full list of SoaCs, see the template at the bottom of the page.
 
A variety of companies now make licensed system-on-a-chip units in a variety of fashions that contain single-chip Mega Drive implementations and several licensed ROM images. [[TecToy]]-made SoaCs also contain several "new" MD games, however these are believed to be — and likely are — Java 2 Mobile Edition games running on additional hardware. For a full list of SoaCs, see the template at the bottom of the page.
 +
 +
====Hardware revisions====
 +
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Hardware revisions}}
  
 
===Cartridges===
 
===Cartridges===
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===Technical specifications===
 
===Technical specifications===
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* System master clock rate: 53.693175 MHz ([[NTSC]]), 53.203424 MHz ([[PAL]]){{fileref|Sega Service Manual - Genesis II - Mega Drive II (PAL) - 001 - June 1993.pdf}}
+
{{mainArticle|Sega Mega Drive/Technical specifications}}
−
** Master clock cycles per frame: 896,040 (NTSC), 1,067,040 (PAL)
 
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** Master clock cycles per scanline: 3420{{ref|https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/blob/master/core/system.h}}
 
  
−
====Processors====
+
===Comparison===
−
{{multicol|
+
:''Main article: [[Sega Mega Drive/Hardware comparison]]''
−
* Main CPU: [[Motorola]] [[68000]]
 
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** Clock rate: 7.670453 MHz (NTSC), 7.600489 MHz (PAL)
 
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** The 68000 has a 24‑bit address space, allowing access to up to 16 [[Byte|MB]] of memory. Sega's memory map for the Mega Drive allowed games to be up to 4 MB without the use of a memory mapper; games that tried to go up to 10 MB would find their memory maps crushed by the Sega CD (which took the second 4 MB block) and Sega 32X (which took 2 MB of the third 4 MB block). All devices are memory mapped.
 
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*** Games using save memory also needed to have the memory in the cartridge map; larger games, such as ''[[Phantasy Star IV]]'', used a mapper to swap out cart space for SRAM during a save.
 
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** [[wikipedia:Instruction set|Instruction set]]: 16‑bit and 32‑bit [[wikipedia:Complex instruction set computing|CISC]] instructions
 
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** Data bus width: 32-bit internal,{{ref|1=[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=O7dacPpJm0UC&pg=PA136 ''Hardware and Computer Organization'', page 136]}} 16‑bit external{{ref|http://www.digitpress.com/faq/megadrive.htm}}
 
−
** External data bus clock rate: 5 MHz (5 [[Byte|MB/s]] external data access [[Byte|bandwidth]]){{ref|1=[https://youtu.be/yGzgKCsrNHM?t=6m7s Ben Heck’s 16-Bit Console Wars! (6:07)] (''[[wikipedia:Benjamin Heckendorn|The Ben Heck Show]]'')}}
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Arithmetic logic unit|Arithmetic logic units]]: 16-bit data ALU, 32-bit address ALU (2x 16-bit ALU){{ref|1=[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=O2DTBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA5 ''The 68000 Microprocessor'', page 5]}}
 
−
* Sound CPU: [[Zilog]] [[Z80]]
 
−
** Clock rate: 3.579545 MHz (NTSC), 3.546894 MHz (PAL)
 
−
** Some games did not use the Z80, other games used it only for sample playback, but most used it for sound processing
 
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** 8 KB program RAM which the 68000 and the Z80 can freely write to (though the 68000 must request the Z80 bus)
 
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** Can access 32 KB of the 68000 memory map at once (while it should be used for accessing the cartridge, setting the bank register elsewhere can work on some hardware)
 
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** Instruction set: 8‑bit and 16‑bit instructions
 
−
** Data bus width: 8‑bit
 
−
*CPU instruction performance: 1.861363 [[wikipedia:Instructions per second|MIPS]] (NTSC), 1.844386 MIPS (PAL){{ref|[http://www.drolez.com/retro/ Obsolete Microprocessors]}}
 
−
** 68000 performance: 1.342329 MIPS (NTSC), 1.330086 MIPS (PAL)
 
−
** Z80 performance: 0.519034 MIPS (NTSC), 0.5143 MIPS (PAL)
 
−
}}
 
  
−
====Sound====
+
It was the most powerful console at the time of its release in 1988, surpassing the [http://necretro.org/PC_Engine PC Engine] ([http://necretro.org/TurboGrafx-16 TurboGrafx-16]), and it was not surpassed in power until the [[wikipedia:Neo Geo (system)|Neo Geo]] in 1990. The Mega Drive is roughly comparable to its main rival, the SNES, released in 1990, with the Mega Drive having more raw processing power whereas the SNES has a larger color [[palette]] (see ''[[Sega Mega Drive/Hardware comparison (Super NES)]]'' article for a detailed technical comparison between the Mega Drive and SNES).
−
{{multicol|
 
−
* FM [[wikipedia:Sound chip|sound chip]]: [[Yamaha]] [[YM2612]], clocked at the 68000 clock speed (7.670453 MHz in NTSC, 7.600489 MHz in PAL)
 
−
** 6 channels of [[wikipedia:Frequency modulation synthesis|FM synthesis]], Operator Type‑N
 
−
*** The third channel can enter a Special Mode, or multifrequency mode, where each individual operator has a different frequency
 
−
*** The sixth channel can enter a DAC mode where the sound program constantly streams 8‑bit unsigned PCM data to mix directly into the output waveform
 
−
**** [[Pulse-code modulation|PCM]] [[wikipedia:Sampling (signal processing)|sampling]] quality: [[wikipedia:Audio bit depth|8‑bit depth]], 8–22 kHz [[wikipedia:Sampling rate|sampling rate]]{{ref|[http://www.alyjameslab.com/wa_files/FMDRIVE_USER_MANUAL.pdf FM-Drive User Manual]}}
 
−
**** Stereo output capability{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf}}
 
−
** 1 [[wikipedia:sine wave|sine wave]] [[wikipedia:Low-frequency oscillation|LFO]] (low frequency oscillator) channel
 
−
** Mapped to the Z80 address space — 68000 must request the Z80 bus to use
 
−
** Some Mega Drive 2 systems actually use the core from the chip's CMOS equivalent, the [[YM3438]]
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Interrupt request|IRQ]] interrupt capabilities: IRQ2 sound interrupt{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mess-cvs/blob/master/src/drivers/genesis.c Genesis (MESS)]}}
 
−
* [[wikipedia:Programmable sound generator|PSG]] sound chip: Sega PSG ([[SN76489|SN76496]]),{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/historic-mame/blob/master/src/emu/sound/sn76496.c SN76496 (MAME)]}} clocked at the Z80 clock speed (3.579545 MHz in NTSC, 3.546894 MHz in PAL) and built into the VDP — same as with the Master System
 
−
** Based on TI [[SN76489]]
 
−
** 4 audio channels: Three channels of pure [[wikipedia:Square wave|square wave]] tones, and one noise channel
 
−
*** The noise channel can play either [[wikipedia:White noise|white noise]] or "periodic noise" either at one of three preset frequencies or using the frequency of the third tone channel (consequently, that channel will be mute)
 
−
** Can be freely accessed by both the 68000 through the VDP and the Z80 through its memory map
 
−
* The cartridge connector has two pins which allow stereo sound mixing directly from cart. No game used this, however, but the 32X uses it for its [[wikipedia:Pulse-width modulation|PWM]] audio
 
−
* The Mega Drive 1 has mono audio output from the TV output and stereo output from a built‑in headphone jack, plus a built‑in volume control. Future models drop the headphone jack and do stereo output from the TV output
 
−
}}
 
  
−
====Graphics====
+
Compared to home computers at the time, it was not as powerful as the Japan-exclusive [[X68000]] (released 1987) or [[wikipedia:FM Towns|FM Towns]] (released 1989). However, the Mega Drive was more powerful than Western home computers in the late '80s, including the [[wikipedia:Amiga|Amiga]].
−
{{multicol|
 
−
* [[wikipedia:Graphics processing unit|GPU]]: [[Sega]] 315‑5313 [[VDP]] ([[Yamaha]] YM7101){{fileref|Sega Service Manual - Genesis II - Mega Drive II (PAL) - 001 - June 1993.pdf}}{{intref|Mega Drive PCB revisions}}
 
−
** An evolution of the [[Sega Master System]] VDP (which is, in turn, an evolution of the [[TMS9918]])
 
−
** All TMS9918 modes were removed and replaced with several new modes
 
−
** Controls background playfields and foreground [[sprite]]s{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=2}}
 
−
** Clock rate: 13.423294 MHz (NTSC), 13.300856 MHz (PAL)
 
−
** [[Pixel]] clock rate: 6.711647 MHz (NTSC), 6.650428 MHz (PAL)
 
−
** Internal data bus: 16-bit{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=15}}
 
−
** External data buses: 16-bit CPU bus,{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=15}} 8/16-bit VRAM bus (Dual Port [[VRAM]], 16-bit RAM/SAM, 8-bit RAM)
 
−
** IRQ [[wikipedia:Raster interrupt|interrupt]] capabilities: IRQ6 [[wikipedia:Vertical blanking interval|VBlank]] interrupt, IRQ4 H‑Int (Horizontal Interrupt) scanline interrupt{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mess-cvs/blob/master/src/drivers/genesis.c Genesis (MESS)]}}
 
−
** [[wikipedia:DMA controller|DMA controller]]: Capable of [[wikipedia:Direct memory access|DMA]], high-speed fills and memory transfers, can transfer data from 68000 address space to VRAM/CRAM/VSRAM during active display and VBlank{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=3}}
 
−
* RGB/Composite Video Encoder [[wikipedia:Digital-to-analog converter|DAC]]: [[Sony]] CXA1145 (NTSC/PAL){{fileref|Sega Service Manual - Genesis II - Mega Drive II (PAL) - 001 - June 1993.pdf}}{{fileref|CXA1145P datasheet.pdf}} / [[Fujitsu]] MB3514 (PAL){{intref|Mega Drive PCB revisions}}{{fileref|MB3514 datasheet.pdf}}
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Colorburst|Colorburst]] clock frequency: 3.579545 MHz (NTSC), 4.433618 MHz (PAL){{ref|[http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/vdppin.txt 315-5313 Information]}}
 
−
* [[wikipedia:Progressive scan|Progressive scan]] [[resolution]]s:
 
−
** NTSC: 320×224 ("40 column mode"), 256×224 ("32 column mode")
 
−
** PAL: 320×224, 256×224, 320×240, 256×240
 
−
* [[Interlacing|Interlaced]] resolutions:
 
−
** NTSC: 320×448, 256×448
 
−
** PAL: 320×448, 256×448, 320×480, 256×480
 
−
** Note: "Interlaced mode" doubles the height of all resolutions; it was used by some games, such as ''[[Sonic 2]]'' for two‑player mode.
 
−
* [[wikipedia:Overscan|Overscan]] resolutions:
 
−
** Progressive scan: 427×262 (NTSC), 423×312 (PAL){{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=14}}
 
−
** Interlaced: 427×524 (NTSC), 423×624 (PAL)
 
−
* Tilemap resolutions: 256×256 to 512×512 and 1024×256
 
−
* Refresh rate: 59.92274 Hz (NTSC), 49.701459 Hz (PAL){{ref|[https://github.com/jasarien/Provenance/blob/master/PVGenesis/PVGenesis/Genesis/GenesisCore/genplusgx_source/system.c Genesis Plus]}}
 
−
** Maximum frame rate: 59.92274 frames/sec (NTSC), 49.701459 frames/sec (PAL)
 
−
* Four graphics [[plane]]s: 2 scrolling [[wikipedia:Tile-based video game|tile]] planes (grids of tiles), "window" tile plane (cannot be transparent), [[sprite]] plane
 
−
** Tilemap background planes: 2 scrolling planes, with horizontal and vertical tile flipping, individual tile priority, 6 tilemap sizes (256x256, 256x512, 256x1024, 512x256, 512x512, 1024x256),{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=13}} 32 bytes per tile,{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=13}} 16 colors per tile
 
−
*** [[wikipedia:Scrolling|Scrolling]] capabilities: [[wikipedia:Parallax scrolling|Parallax scrolling]], [[wikipedia:Parallax scrolling#Raster method|line and row scrolling]], vertical and horizontal line scrolling, column scrolling.{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=46}}{{ref|[http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/2/3/7952705/sega-genesis-masami-ishikawa How Sega Built the Genesis: Masami Ishikawa Inteview] ([[wikipedia:Polygon (website)|Polygon]])}}
 
−
*** 40–64 scrolling layers: Each of the 2 tilemap planes can be split into multiple scrolling layers, 32 one-tile rows and 20 two-tile columns. Each scanline, row and column can be scrolled at different rates, and each row can be overlapped.{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=46}}{{ref|[http://www.gamepilgrimage.com/content/sega-genesis-vs-super-nintendo Sega Genesis Comparison]}}
 
−
** Background window plane, behind scrolling planes{{ref|[http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/2/3/7952705/sega-genesis-masami-ishikawa How Sega Built the Genesis: Masami Ishikawa Inteview] ([[wikipedia:Polygon (website)|Polygon]])}}
 
−
** [[Sprite]] plane: 80 sprites on screen, 20 sprites per scanline, 16 sprite sizes (8×8 to 32×32 pixels),{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf}} 16 colors per sprite,{{ref|[http://web.archive.org/web/20010114211400/fly.hiwaay.net/~jfrohwei/sega/genesis.html Sega Programming FAQ (October 18, 1995)]}} integer sprite zooming{{ref|[http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/msvdp.txt Sega Master System VDP Documentation]}} (up to 320x224),{{ref|[http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/2/3/7952705/sega-genesis-masami-ishikawa How Sega Built the Genesis: Masami Ishikawa Inteview] ([[wikipedia:Polygon (website)|Polygon]])}} definable sprite priorities, 32 bytes per sprite tile,{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=2}} sprite flipping, virtual 512×512 sprite space,{{ref|[http://dreamjam.co.uk/emuviews/txt/genvdp.txt Sega Genesis VDP Documentation]}} sprites can be combined into larger sprites, up to 1280 sprite tiles (80x 32×32 sprites)
 
−
** Note: Priorities can be defined between planes.{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=2}}
 
−
* Color [[palette]]:{{ref|[http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/genvdp.txt Sega Genesis VDP Documentation]}}
 
−
** Standard: 512 colors (9-bit RGB)
 
−
** Shadow/Highlight mode: 1536 colors
 
−
*Colors on screen:{{ref|[http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/genvdp.txt Sega Genesis VDP Documentation]}}{{ref|[http://www.gamepilgrimage.com/content/sega-genesis-vs-super-nintendo Sega Genesis Comparison]}}
 
−
** Standard: 61–64 colors
 
−
** Shadow/Highlight: 114–192 colors
 
−
** Mid‑frame palette swap: 75–256 colors (see ''[[#Blast Processing|Blast Processing]]'' below)
 
−
** Direct color: 256–512 colors (see ''[[#Blast Processing|Blast Processing]]'' below)
 
−
* Colors per pixel: 16 colors (4‑bit){{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=3}}
 
−
** Mid‑frame palette swap: 16 colors (4-bit) to 256 colors (8-bit)
 
−
** Direct color: 256 colors (8-bit) to 512 colors (9-bit)
 
−
* Shadow/Highlight: Hardware lighting,{{ref|[http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/genvdp.txt Sega Genesis VDP Documentation]}} shadow generation (matching each character's shape),{{ref|[http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/2/3/7952705/sega-genesis-masami-ishikawa How Sega Built the Genesis: Masami Ishikawa Inteview] ([[wikipedia:Polygon (website)|Polygon]])}} triples color palette and colors on screen, increases colors per tile
 
−
* Video RAM: 64 [[Byte|KB]] [[VRAM]] (Dual-Port VRAM) — used to store graphics tiles, mappings for all layers, and horizontal scrolling{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=79}}
 
−
** Scroll A Pattern Table: 2 KB (256x256) to 8 KB (512x512, 1024x256) for background tilemap plane A
 
−
** Scroll B Pattern Table: 2 KB (256x256) to 8 KB (512x512, 1024x256) for background tilemap plane B
 
−
** Window Pattern Name Table: 2 KB (256x224, 256x240) to 4 KB (320x224, 320x240) for static window plane
 
−
** H Scroll Data Table: 1 KB for horizontal scrolling
 
−
** Sprite Attribute Table: 512 [[byte]]s (256x224, 256x240) to 1 KB (320x224, 320x240) for sprite attributes
 
−
** Pattern Generator Table: 2 KB to 56.5 KB for background tiles (64 to 1808 tiles, 32 KB per tile)
 
−
** Sprite Generator Table: Up to 40 KB for sprite tiles (up to 1280 tiles, 32 KB per tile)
 
−
** [[wikipedia:Sequential access memory|SAM]] buffer: 256 bytes separate cache within VRAM chips, for sending continuous stream of video screen refresh data to VDP while it reads/writes VRAM
 
−
* VDP internal cache: 232 bytes
 
−
** 64 9‑bit words (72 bytes) of internal CRAM ([[Palette|Color RAM]]) — used to store the color palette
 
−
*** 64 colors split into four 16‑color lines; each tile can be drawn with one of these four color lines
 
−
*** The first color in each line is transparent and any color of the entire palette can be used as a "background color" (when no pixels are drawn at a location); consequently the Mega Drive can display 61 colors on screen at once (unless raster effects or the Shadow/Highlight modes are used, in which case this number increases depending on the extent used)
 
−
*** Colors are 9‑bit RGB with 3 bits per color component, allowing for 512 colors
 
−
*** Shadow/Highlight modes increase color gamut (183—192 colors on screen, out of 1536 color palette)
 
−
** 80 bytes internal VSRAM (Vertical Scrolling RAM) — used for vertical scrolling (10‑bit words, up to 20 different vertical scroll values for each of the two scrolling playfields){{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf}}
 
−
** 80 bytes internal sprite buffer — 8 bytes per sprite{{ref|[http://md.squee.co/VDP#Sprites VDP: Sprites]}}{{ref|[https://github.com/Stephane-D/SGDK/blob/master/inc/vdp_spr.h VDP Sprite (SGDK)]}}
 
−
* Other features: Semi‑transparency, [[wikipedia:FIFO|FIFO]] memory circuit design, read/write of one line buffer method for drawing{{ref|[http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/2/3/7952705/sega-genesis-masami-ishikawa How Sega Built the Genesis: Masami Ishikawa Inteview] ([[wikipedia:Polygon (website)|Polygon]])}}
 
−
}}
 
  
−
=====Blast Processing=====
+
==History==
−
:''See [[Blast processing]] for more details and technical comparison with SNES''
+
{{MainArticle|History of the Sega Mega Drive}}
  
−
The term [[Blast Processing]] was primarily a reference to the Mega Drive [[VDP]] graphics processor's powerful [[wikipedia:DMA controller|DMA controller]] that could handle [[wikipedia:Direct memory access|DMA]] (direct memory access) operations at much faster speeds than the Super NES.{{ref|[http://trixter.oldskool.org/2008/12/05/blast-processing-101/ Blast Processing 101]}} The Mega Drive could write to [[VRAM]] during active display and [[wikipedia:Vertical blanking interval|VBlank]],{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf}} and had a faster memory [[Byte|bandwidth]] than the SNES. The quicker DMA transfer rates and bandwidth gave the Mega Drive a faster performance than the SNES,{{ref|[http://www.gamepilgrimage.com/content/sega-genesis-vs-super-nintendo Sega Genesis vs Super Nintendo]}} and helped give the Mega Drive a higher [[fillrate]], higher gameplay resolution, faster parallax scrolling, fast data [[wikipedia:Blitter|blitting]], and high frame-rate with many moving objects on screen, and allowed it to display more unique tiles (background and sprite tiles) and large [[sprite]]s (32×32 and higher) on screen, and quickly transfer more unique tiles and large sprites (16×16 and higher) on screen.
+
===Localised names===
 +
{{aka
 +
|us_name=Sega Genesis
 +
|uk_name=Sega Mega Drive
 +
|jp_name=メガドライブ
 +
|jp_trans=Mega Drive
 +
|kr_name=수퍼겜보이, 수퍼알라딘 보이
 +
|kr_trans=Super Gam*Boy, Super Aladdin Boy
 +
|il_name=מגה דרייב
 +
|cn_name=劲锋壹號
 +
}}
  
−
The Mega Drive's DMA capabilities also helped give it more flexibility, allowing the hardware to be programmed in various different ways. With DMA programming, it could replicate some of the Super NES's hardware features, such as larger 64×64 sprites (combining 32×32 sprites), background scaling and rotation (like the [[Sega X Board]] and [[wikipedia:Mode 7|Mode 7]]), and direct color (increasing colors on screen). Other DMA programmable capabilities of the Mega Drive include mid-frame palette swaps (increasing colors per scanline), sprite scaling and rotation, [[wikipedia:Ray casting|ray casting]], [[wikipedia:Bitmap|bitmap]] [[wikipedia:Framebuffer|framebuffers]], and 3D polygon graphics; the base Mega Drive hardware (without needing any enhancement chips) could render 3D polygons with a performance comparable to the Super NES's optional [[wikipedia:Super FX|Super FX]] enhancement chip,{{ref|[https://github.com/Stephane-D/SGDK/blob/master/inc/maths3D.h 3D math engine (SGDK)]}}{{ref|[https://youtu.be/oHLc0AzD85g Star Fox 3D Tech Demo on Sega Genesis: Version 2 Using DMA (YouTube)]}} which itself is significantly outperformed by the Mega Drive's optional [[Sega Virtua Processor]] (SVP) enhancement chip.
+
==Games==
 +
{{mainArticle|Sega Mega Drive games}}
 +
[[File:MDAdd-ons.jpg|thumb|right|A Japanese Sega Mega Drive (Model 1) overloaded with add-ons including the [[Sega Mega-CD]] (Model 1), [[Sega 32X]], [[Remote Arcade System]] and [[Mega-CD Karaoke]].]]
  
−
{{multicol|
+
==Production credits==
−
* [[wikipedia:DMA controller|DMA controller]]: [[Sega]] 315‑5313 [[VDP]] ([[Yamaha]] YM7101){{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=45}}{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=14}}
+
===Japanese version===
−
** VRAM transfer per scanline: 205 bytes per [[wikipedia:Vertical blanking interval|VBlank]] scanline, 18 bytes per active scanline
+
{{creditstable|
−
** CRAM/VSRAM transfer per scanline: 410 bytes per VBlank scanline, 36 bytes per active scanline
+
*'''Team Leader:''' [[Masami Ishikawa]]
−
** VBlank scanlines in standard 224-line display: 38 (NTSC), 88 (PAL)
+
*'''Outer Casing:''' [[Mitsushige Shiraiwa]]{{ref|1=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/darrenwall/sega-mega-drive-genesis-collected-works-reprint}}
−
** VBlank scanlines in custom 192-line display: 70 (NTSC), 120 (PAL)
+
*[[Hideki Sato]]
−
** VBlank scanlines in custom 160-line display: 103 (NTSC), 153 (PAL){{ref|[https://github.com/Stephane-D/SGDK/blob/master/inc/bmp.h Bitmap engine (SGDK)]}}
+
*[[Taku Matsubara]]
−
** Refresh rate: 59.92274 Hz (NTSC), 49.701459 Hz (PAL)
+
*[[Hiroyuki Ohtaka]]
−
* [[VRAM]] bandwidth: 8–11.764705 [[Byte|MB/s]] (NTSC), 8–8.333333 MB/s (PAL) (see ''[[#Memory|Memory]]'' below){{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=45}}{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=14}}
+
*'''Spec Design of OPN2 / Sound Driver:''' [[Kazuhiko Nagai]]
−
** Maximum [[wikipedia:Direct memory access|DMA]] transfer rate: 3.21845 MB/s (inactive display)
+
| source=Developer mentions{{ref|https://www.famitsu.com/news/201308/12038274.html}}{{fileref|Sega_Consumer_History_JP_EnterBrain_Book.pdf|page=23}}{{magref|harmony|130|18}}{{ref|https://www.facebook.com/hiroyuki.ohtaka/about_work_and_education}}{{ref|https://sbtransr02.wixsite.com/kazuhiko-nagai/my-works-1}}
−
** Maximum DMA transfer per frame: 53.71 [[Byte|KB]] (NTSC), 63.96 KB (PAL)
+
| console=MD
−
** DMA transfer per frame during active display: 11.822–23.995 KB (NTSC), 22.072–34.245 KB (PAL){{ref|DMA transfer per frame during active display:
 
−
* 224-line display: 11.822 KB (NTSC), 22.072 KB (PAL)
 
−
* 192-line display: 17.806 KB (NTSC), 28.056 KB (PAL)
 
−
* 160-line display: 23.995 KB (NTSC), 34.245 KB (PAL)
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
** DMA transfer rate during active display: 708.406 KB/s to 1.437846 MB/s (NTSC), 1.09701 MB/s to 1.702026 MB/s (PAL){{ref|DMA transfer rate during active display:
 
−
* 224-line display: 708.406 KB/s (NTSC), 1.09701 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
* 192-line display: 1.066984 MB/s (NTSC), 1.394424 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
* 160-line display: 1.437846 MB/s (NTSC), 1.702026 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
* CRAM/VSRAM cache bandwidth: 26.846588 [[Byte|MB/s]] (NTSC), 26.601712 MB/s (PAL) (see ''[[#Memory|Memory]]'' below){{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=45}}{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=14}}
 
−
** Maximum DMA transfer rate: 6.4369 MB/s (inactive display)
 
−
** Maximum DMA transfer per frame: 107.42 KB (NTSC), 127.92 KB (PAL)
 
−
** DMA transfer per frame during active display: 23.644–47.99 KB (NTSC), 44.144–68.490 KB (PAL){{ref|DMA transfer per frame during active display:
 
−
* 224-line display: 23.644 KB (NTSC), 44.144 KB (PAL)
 
−
* 160-line display: 47.99 KB (NTSC), 68.490 KB (PAL)
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
** DMA transfer rate during active display: 1.416813–2.875692 MB/s (NTSC), 2.194021–3.404052 MB/s (PAL){{ref|DMA transfer rate during active display:
 
−
* 224-line display: 1.416813 MB/s (NTSC), 2.194021 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
* 160-line display: 2.875692 MB/s (NTSC), 3.404052 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
* Pixel [[fillrate]]: 6.934358 [[Pixel|MPixels/s]] (NTSC), 6.650428 MPixels/s (PAL)
 
−
** Maximum write fillrate: 6.4369 MPixels/s, 410 pixels/scanline
 
−
** Maximum write per frame: 107,420 [[pixel]]s (NTSC), 127,920 pixels (PAL)
 
−
** Write per frame during active display: 23,644–47,990 pixels (NTSC), 44,144–68,490 pixels (PAL){{ref|Write per frame during active display:
 
−
* 224-line display: 23,644 pixels (NTSC), 44,144 pixels (PAL)
 
−
* 160-line display: 47,990 pixels (NTSC), 68,490 pixels (PAL)
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
** Write fillrate during active display: 1.416813–2.875692 MPixels/s (NTSC), 2.194021–3.404052 MPixels/s (PAL){{ref|Write fillrate during active display:
 
−
* 224-line display: 1.416813 MPixels/s (NTSC), 2.194021 MPixels/s (PAL)
 
−
* 160-line display: 2.875692 MPixels/s (NTSC), 3.404052 MPixels/s (PAL)
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
* Tile fillrate: 1808 tiles per frame,{{fileref|GenesisTechnicalOverview.pdf|page=13}} 108,340 tiles/sec (NTSC), 89,860 tiles/sec (PAL)
 
−
** [[Texel]] fillrate: 115,712 texels (1808x 8×8 tiles) per frame, 6.934358 MTexels/s (NTSC), 5.751055 MTexels/s (PAL)
 
−
** Tile transfer per frame during active display: 369–749 tiles (NTSC), 689–1070 tiles (PAL){{ref|Tile transfer per frame during active display:
 
−
* Standard 224-line display: 369 tiles (NTSC), 689 tiles (PAL)
 
−
* Custom 160-line display: 749 tiles (NTSC), 1070 tiles (PAL)
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
* [[Sprite]] fillrate: 80 sprites/frame, 4793 sprites/sec (NTSC), 3976 sprites/sec (PAL)
 
−
** Sprite texel fillrate: 320 texels/scanline, 81,920 texels (80× 32×32 sprites) per frame,{{ref|[http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/genvdp.txt Sega Genesis VDP Documentation]}} 4.90887 [[Texel|MTexels/s]] (NTSC), 4.071543 MTexels/s (PAL)
 
−
** Sprite tile fillrate: 1280 sprite tiles (80x 32×32 sprites) per frame, 76,701 sprite tiles/sec (NTSC), 63,617 sprite tiles/sec (PAL)
 
−
** Sprite display per frame: 80 sprites (8×8 to 32×32), 20 sprites (64×64), 4 sprites (128×128)
 
−
*** Sprite display per scanline: 20 sprites (8×8 to 16×16), 13 sprites (24×24), 10 sprites (32×32), 5 sprites (64×64)
 
−
** Sprite transfer per frame during standard 224-line active display:
 
−
*** NTSC: 80 sprites (8×8 to 16×16), 41 sprites (24×24), 23 sprites (32×32), 5 sprites (64×64)
 
−
*** PAL: 80 sprites (8×8 to 16×16), 76 sprites (24×24), 43 sprites (32×32), 10 sprites (64×64)
 
−
** Sprite transfer per frame during custom 160-line active display:
 
−
*** NTSC: 80 sprites (8×8 to 24×24), 46 sprites (32×32), 11 sprites (64×64)
 
−
*** PAL: 80 sprites (8×8 to 24×24), 66 sprites (32×32), 16 sprites (64×64)
 
−
* Effective fillrate: 2 tilemaps (256×256 to 512×512), 80 sprites (8×8 to 32×32)
 
−
** Effective tile fillrate: 1808–9472 tiles/frame, 108,340–567,588 tiles/sec
 
−
** Effective pixel fillrate: 115,712–606,208 pixels/frame, 6.934358–36.325644 MPixels/s
 
−
* Programmable custom resolutions:
 
−
** Display resolutions: 128×160 to 320×160, 128×224 to 160×224
 
−
** Background tilemap planes: 128×160 to 768×512{{ref|[https://tcrf.net/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_2_(Genesis) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (The Cutting Room Floor)]}}
 
−
** Bitmap framebuffer: Single/Double buffering, 128×160 to 320×408{{ref|Bitmap framebuffer:
 
−
* Single buffering: 128×160 to 512×256 and 320×408
 
−
* Double buffering: 128×160 to 256×256 and 320×204
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
* Mid-frame palette swap: Can use DMA to change color while drawing each scanline, sending more data/colors to the CRAM and DAC{{ref|[http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/11/the_man_responsible_for_segas_blast_processing_gimmick_is_sorry_for_creating_that_ghastly_phrase The Man Responsible For Sega's Blast Processing] ([[wikipedia:Nintendo Life|Nintendo Life]])}}{{ref|[http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/2/3/7952705/sega-genesis-masami-ishikawa How Sega Built the Genesis: Masami Ishikawa Inteview] ([[wikipedia:Polygon (website)|Polygon]])}}
 
−
** Colors on screen: 75 colors (''[[Sonic 2]]'') to 512 colors (demo with scrolling background)
 
−
** Shadow/Highlight colors on screen: 114 colors ([http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_2_(Simon_Wai_prototype) ''Sonic 2'' prototype]) to 1536 colors (demo with scrolling background)
 
−
** Colors per pixel: 16 colors (4-bit) to 256 colors (8-bit)
 
−
* Direct color: Can use DMA to reprogram CRAM from a color palette to a direct color display{{ref|[http://www.gamepilgrimage.com/content/sega-genesis-vs-super-nintendo Sega Genesis vs Super Nintendo]}}
 
−
** Colors on screen: 256 colors (8-bit) to 512 colors (9-bit)
 
−
** Colors per pixel: 256 colors (8-bit) to 512 colors (9-bit)
 
−
** Resolutions: 160×224, 128×224
 
−
* 3D polygon graphics: Capable of 3D polygons with stock Mega Drive hardware (without needing enhancement chips), capable of 3D [[wikipedia:Texture mapping|texture mapping]],{{ref|[https://youtu.be/GgQxJjP2XFc D Polygonal Texturé - MegaDrive/Genesis (YouTube)]}} can use DMA to render bitmap framebuffer (double-buffered) that displays 3D polygons{{ref|[https://github.com/Stephane-D/SGDK/blob/master/inc/maths3D.h 3D math engine (SGDK)]}}{{ref|[https://github.com/Stephane-D/SGDK/blob/master/inc/bmp.h Bitmap engine (SGDK)]}}
 
−
** Vertex transformations: 10,000 vertices/sec (767 cycles/vertex), 500 vertices/frame
 
−
** Polygon transformations: 3300 polygons/sec (2301 cycles/triangle), 166 polygons/frame
 
−
** Framebuffer rendering: 256×160, double-buffered, 15–30 FPS,{{ref|[https://youtu.be/oHLc0AzD85g Star Fox 3D Tech Demo on Sega Genesis: Version 2 Using DMA (YouTube)]}}{{ref|40 KB memory, 614.4 KB/s (15 FPS) to 1.2288 MB/s (30 FPS) bandwidth, 2.383275 CPU cycles per byte VRAM DMA transfer, 1.464285 MHz (15 FPS) to 2.928568 MHz (30 FPS) DMA, 4.741885 MHz (30 FPS) to 6.206168 MHz (15 FPS) remaining for polygons|group=n}}
 
−
** Flat shading: 1800 polygons/sec{{ref|32-pixel polygons, 15 FPS, [[wikipedia:Scanline rendering|scanline rendering]], 250 cycles/scanline per poly,{{ref|1=[http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?26488-Cycles-cycles-and-cycles!&p=627804&viewfull=1#post627804 Polygon cycles]}}{{ref|1=[http://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=23322&sid=3dca9ad5e595f35217790cdeb4252b9a#p23322 3D on the Sega Genesis is possible (SpritesMind)]}} 3301 cycles/poly (32-pixel), 166 polygons/frame
 
−
* Polygon memory: 40 bytes/poly, 6.485 KB memory (166 polygons/frame), 72 KB/s bandwidth (1800 polygons/sec)
 
−
|group=n}}
 
−
** Texture mapping: 1000 polygons/sec{{ref|38 cycles/texel,{{ref|1=[http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?26395-3D-on-the-Sega-Genesis-is-possible&p=624237&viewfull=1#post624237 3D on the Sega Genesis is possible]}} 2432 draw cycles per 8×8 texel texture, 77 cycles DMA transfer (32 bytes) per 8×8 texel texture, 5810 cycles (2509 texture cycles) per 8×8 texel polygon|group=n}}
 
−
* Other DMA programmable capabilities: Scaling and rotation (like [[Sega X Board]] and Mode 7),{{ref|[http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sega/genesis/best-sega-genesis-graphics-sound Sega Genesis Games That Pushed The Limits of Graphics & Sound (Racket Boy)]}}{{ref|1=[http://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1959 Mode 7 demo for Genesis/MD (SpritesMind)]}} ray casting
 
−
* Optional [[cartridge]] enhancement chip: [[Sega Virtua Processor]] (only used in ''[[Virtua Racing]]''), enhances Mega Drive's 3D polygon performance. It can calculate geometry for 50,000 polygons/sec and render 20,000 polygons/sec. It also has higher memory, bandwidth, fillrate, framebuffer resolution, and frame rate.
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
====Memory====
+
==Magazine articles==
−
{{multicol|
+
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Magazine articles}}
−
* System RAM: 136 [[Byte|KB]]
 
−
** Main RAM: 64 KB (repeated over the upper 2 [[Byte|MB]] of address space)
 
−
** [[VRAM]]: 64 KB
 
−
*** [[wikipedia:FPM DRAM|FPM DRAM]]: 64 KB
 
−
*** [[wikipedia:Sequential access memory|SAM]] buffer cache: 256 bytes{{fileref|Sega Service Manual - Genesis II - Mega Drive II (PAL) - 001 - June 1993.pdf|page=8}}{{fileref|UPD41264 datasheet.pdf}}
 
−
** Audio RAM: [http://cgfm2.emuviews.com/txt/gen-hw.txt 8 KB]
 
−
* VDP internal [[wikipedia:GPU cache|cache]]: 232 [[byte]]s{{ref|[http://dreamjam.co.uk/emuviews/txt/genvdp.txt Sega Genesis VDP Documentation]}}
 
−
** CRAM (Color RAM): 72 bytes (576 [[bit]]s)
 
−
** VSRAM (Vertical Scrolling RAM): 80 bytes (640 bits)
 
−
** Sprite cache: 80 bytes (640 bits){{ref|[http://md.squee.co/VDP#Sprites VDP: Sprites]}}{{ref|[https://github.com/Stephane-D/SGDK/blob/master/inc/vdp_spr.h VDP Sprite (SGDK)]}}
 
−
* [[Cartridge]] memory: 512–8224 KB
 
−
** [[ROM]]: 512 KB (4 [[Bit|Mbits]]) to 8 MB (64 Mbits){{ref|[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-09-2010s-sega-mega-drive-rpg-pier-solar-coming-to-xbox-360-pc-and-mac-in-hd 2010's Sega Mega Drive RPG Pier Solar coming to Xbox 360, PC and Mac in HD], [[wikipedia:Eurogamer|Eurogamer]]}}{{intref|SSFII Genesis Technical Information (2000-07-26)}}
 
−
** [[SRAM]]: 8 KB to 32 KB{{intref|MegaDrive/Genesis Pinouts}}{{ref|[http://www.second-dimension.com/docs/DXS-GEN24STH-01.pdf Second Dimension R&T DxS-GEN24STH-01]}}
 
−
}}
 
  
−
=====Configuration=====
+
==Promotional material==
−
* System memory buses:{{fileref|Sega Service Manual - Genesis II - Mega Drive II (PAL) - 001 - June 1993.pdf}}
+
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Promotional material}}
−
** 16‑bit system bus &mdash; 68000 & VDP <‑> Main RAM & Cartridge ROM/RAM
 
−
** 8‑bit system bus &mdash; Z80 & YM2612 <‑> Audio RAM
 
−
** 8/16‑bit video bus &mdash; VDP <‑> VRAM
 
−
{{multicol|
 
−
* System RAM chips:{{intref|Mega Drive PCB revisions}}{{fileref|Sega Service Manual - Genesis II - Mega Drive II (PAL) - 001 - June 1993.pdf|page=8}}
 
−
** Main RAM: 16‑bit (2x 8‑bit), [[wikipedia:Pseudostatic RAM|PSRAM]], 5.263157 MHz (190 [[wikipedia:Nanosecond|ns]]){{fileref|HM65256B datasheet.pdf}}{{fileref|TC51832 datasheet.pdf}}
 
−
*** CPU access: 5 MHz (200 ns)
 
−
** VRAM: 8/16-bit [[wikipedia:Dual-ported RAM|Dual‑Port]] [[VRAM]], 16-bit RAM/SRAM, 8-bit RAM (see ''[[Mega Drive PCB revisions]]''){{fileref|HM53461 datasheet.pdf}}{{fileref|KM424C64 datasheet.pdf}}
 
−
*** [[wikipedia:FPM DRAM|FPM DRAM]]: 2048-bit internal (8x 256-bit [[wikipedia:Array data structure|arrays]]), 8-bit external (2x 4‑bit), 11.764705 MHz (NTSC, 85 ns),{{fileref|UPD41264 datasheet.pdf}} 8.333333 MHz (PAL, 120 ns),{{fileref|MB81461 datasheet.pdf}} 8 MHz (125 ns, when reading SAM){{fileref|UPD41264 datasheet.pdf}}
 
−
*** [[wikipedia:Sequential access memory|SAM]] buffer cache: 8-bit (2x 4‑bit), 13.423294 MHz (NTSC, 74 ns), 13.300856 MHz (PAL, 75 ns), VDP reads continuous stream of video screen refresh data from SAM while reading/writing DRAM{{ref|1=[http://personal.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.Webb/l3a15/extras/vrmsgrm.pdf#page=3 Understanding VRAM and SGRAM Operation (page 3)] ([[wikipedia:IBM|IBM]])}}
 
−
** Audio RAM: 8‑bit, [[SRAM]]/[[wikipedia:Pseudostatic RAM|XRAM]], 3.030303 MHz (330 ns){{fileref|TMM2063P datasheet.pdf}}{{fileref|UPD4168 datasheet.pdf}}{{fileref|KM6264B datasheet.pdf}}{{fileref|LC3664R datasheet.pdf}}
 
−
* Cartridge ROM chips: 16‑bit{{ref|[http://www.smspower.org/Development/ROMPartNumbers ROM Part Numbers]}}
 
−
** Most cartridges: [[wikipedia:Mask ROM|MROM]], 5 MHz (200 ns){{fileref|MB834200A datasheet.pdf}}{{fileref|MB838200B datasheet.pdf}}{{ref|1=[https://youtu.be/yGzgKCsrNHM?t=6m7s Ben Heck’s 16-Bit Console Wars! (6:07)] (''[[wikipedia:Benjamin Heckendorn|The Ben Heck Show]]'')}}
 
−
** Some cartridges: MROM/[[EPROM]], 7.670453 MHz (NTSC), 7.600489 MHz (PAL), 130–131 ns{{fileref|MB838200B datasheet.pdf}}{{ref|[http://www.second-dimension.com/docs/DXS-GEN24STH-01.pdf Second Dimension R&T DxS-GEN24STH-01]}}{{fileref|M27C322 datasheet.pdf}}
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
=====Bandwidth=====
 
−
{{multicol|
 
−
* System RAM bandwidth: 21.556617&ndash;25.321322 MB/s (NTSC), 21.556617&ndash;21.88995 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
** Main RAM: 10.526314 MB/s (16-bit, 5.263157 MHz)
 
−
*** CPU access: 5 MB/s (5 MHz)
 
−
** VRAM: 8&ndash;11.764705 MB/s (NTSC), 8&ndash;8.333333 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
*** FPM DRAM: 11.764705 MB/s (NTSC), 8.333333 MB/s (PAL), 8 MB/s (when reading SAM)
 
−
*** SAM buffer cache: 13.423294 MB/s (NTSC), 13.300856 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
** Audio RAM: 3.030303 MB/s (8-bit, 3.030303 MHz)
 
−
* Cartridge ROM bandwidth: 10 MB/s (most cartridges), 15.200978–15.340906 MB/s (some cartridges)
 
−
** CPU access: 5 MB/s (5 MHz)
 
−
* Internal processor bandwidth:
 
−
** 68000 internal bus: 30.681812 MB/s (NTSC, 32-bit, 7.670453 MHz), 30.401956 MB/s (PAL, 32-bit, 7.600489 MHz)
 
−
** Z80 internal bus: 3.579545 MB/s (NTSC), 3.546894 MB/s (PAL)
 
−
** VDP internal RAM cache: 26.846588 MB/s (NTSC, 16-bit, 13.423294 MHz), 26.601712 MB/s (PAL, 16-bit, 13.423294 MHz)
 
−
}}
 
  
−
====Memory map====
+
==Logos by regions==
−
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
+
{|class="prettytable sortable" style="background: #f2f2f2;"
−
|+ Mega Drive Memory Map
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! width="50"| Start
+
! style="width:100px;" style="text-align: center;" |'''Logo'''
−
! width="50"| End
+
! style="width:100px;" style="text-align: center;" |'''Region'''
−
! width="50"| Size
+
|- style="background: silver;"
−
! Description
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $000000
+
|<gallery>Mega Drive Japanese logo.svg</gallery><gallery>File-Mega Drive Japanese Logo.svg</gallery>
−
| $3FFFFF
+
|Used in Japan, Asia, Africa,<br> parts of Eastern Europe and<br> South Korea (from 1997)
−
| $400000
 
−
| [[ROM]] [[Cartridge]]
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $400000
+
|<gallery>Genesis logo.png
−
| $7FFFFF
+
Genesis logo alt.png
−
| $400000
+
</gallery>
−
| Expansion Port Area (used by the [[Sega CD]])
+
|Used in North America<br>and parts of South America
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $800000
+
|<gallery>MegaDrive BR logo.png</gallery>
−
| $9FFFFF
+
|Used in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay<br>and Uruguay
−
| $200000
 
−
| Unallocated (used by the [[Sega 32X]])
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $A00000
+
|<gallery>Megadrive EU Logo.png
−
| $A0FFFF
+
Megadrive EU Logo alt.png
−
| $10000
+
</gallery>
−
| Z80 Memory
+
|Used in Western and Eastern Europe,<br> Asia, Africa and Australasia
−
|-
 
−
| $A10000
 
−
| $A10FFF
 
−
| only various meaningful
 
−
| System registers
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $A11000
+
|<gallery>MegaDrive AS logo.png</gallery>
−
| $A11FFF
+
|Used in Asia
−
| only $A11100 and $A11200 meaningful
 
−
| Z80 control (/BUSREQ and /RESET lines)
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $A12000
+
|<gallery>Mega Drive SE logo.png</gallery>
−
| $AFFFFF
+
|Used in Scandinavia
−
| only several meaningful
 
−
| Assorted registers
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $B00000
+
|<gallery>Notavailable.svg</gallery>
−
| $BFFFFF
+
|Used in South Korea (Super Gam*Boy)
−
| $100000
 
−
| Unallocated
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $C00000
+
|<gallery>Notavailable.svg</gallery>
−
| $DFFFFF
+
|Used in South Korea (Super Aladdin Boy)
−
| $1F; mirrored
 
−
| VDP
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| $E00000
 
−
| $FFFFFF
 
−
| $10000; mirrored
 
−
| Work RAM (games usually only use the uppermost mirror, at $FF0000)
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
====Input====
+
==External links==
−
{{multicol|
+
* [https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive Sega of Japan catalogue page (Japanese)]
−
* Controller input: Two male [[DE-9|DE‑9]] controller ports; one female [[DE‑9]] expansion port (early MD1s only)
 
−
** Controller ports support two modes: parallel and serial
 
−
** Parallel supports 7‑bit bidirectional, with the console setting the direction of each bit.
 
−
** Parallel also supports optional active‑low interrupts on the TH line. (mapped to 68000 IRQ 2)
 
−
** Serial mode supports up to 4800 bps. (used by the Mega Modem on port 3)
 
−
* Expansion port: Used for Sega CD.
 
−
** Provides access to /FDC ($A120xx) and /DISK to indicate Sega CD presence.
 
−
** Maps Sega CD PRG RAM to $000000 when no cartridge is present, $400000 otherwise.
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
===Comparison===
 
−
:''Main article: [[Blast processing]]''
 
−
 
 
−
It was the most powerful console at the time of its release in 1988, surpassing the [http://necretro.org/PC_Engine PC Engine] ([http://necretro.org/TurboGrafx-16 TurboGrafx-16]), and it was not surpassed in power until the [[wikipedia:Neo Geo (system)|Neo Geo]] in 1990. The Mega Drive is also more powerful than the SNES, released in 1990, whereas the SNES has a larger color [[palette]] (see ''[[Blast Processing]]'' article for detailed technical comparison between the Mega Drive and SNES).
 
−
 
 
−
Compared to home computers at the time, it was not as powerful as the Japan-exclusive [[wikipedia:Sharp X68000|Sharp X68000]] (released 1987) or [[wikipedia:FM Towns|FM Towns]] (released 1989). However, the Mega Drive was more powerful than Western home computers in the late '80s, including the [[wikipedia:Amiga|Amiga]]. The Mega Drive's [[68000]] CPU is clocked at 7.6 MHz, while the Amiga's 68000 CPU is clocked at 7.16 MHz (NTSC) or 7.09 MHz (PAL). The Mega Drive displays eighty [[Palette|15-color]] sprites at 32×32 [[pixel]]s each, while the Amiga displays eight 3-color sprites at 8 pixels wide.{{ref|[http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue125/A32_Whats_hot_Amiga_or.php What's hot: Amiga or Sega?], ''[[wikipedia:Compute!|Compute!]]'', Issue 125 (January 1991), page A32}} The Mega Drive displays 61–64 colors standard and 114–192 colors with Shadow/Highlight, while the Amiga displays 2–32 colors standard and 64 colors with [[wikipedia:Amiga Halfbrite mode|EHB]]. The Mega Drive's [[VDP]] can [[wikipedia:Direct memory access|DMA]] [[wikipedia:Blitting|blit]] 3.21845–6.4 MB/s [[Byte|bandwidth]] (6.4 MPixels/s [[fillrate]]), while the Amiga's [[wikipedia:Blitter|Blitter]] can blit 1.7725–3.58 MB/s (2.363333–4.773333 MPixels/s with 64 colors). During active display, with 64 colors at 60 FPS, the VDP can write 708 KB/s to 2 MB/s (1.4–2 MPixels/s) during 320×224 display, while the Blitter can write 332.5–700 KB/s (443,333–933,333 pixels/s) during 320×200 display.{{ref|[http://amigadev.elowar.com/read/ADCD_2.1/Hardware_Manual_guide/node012A.html Blitter Speed (''Amiga Hardware Reference Manual'')]}} The Mega Drive supports [[wikipedia:Tile-based video game|tilemap]] backgrounds, reducing processing, memory and bandwidth requirements by up to 64 times compared to the Amiga's [[wikipedia:Bitmap|bitmap]] backgrounds,{{ref|1=[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oK3D4i5ldKgC&pg=PA173 ''Before the Crash: Early Video Game History'', page 173]}} giving the Mega Drive an effective tile fillrate of 6–36 MPixels/s (see ''[[#Blast Processing|Blast Processing]]'' above). The Mega Drive has a [[Z80]] sound CPU and supports 10 audio channels, while the Amiga lacks a sound CPU and supports 4 audio channels.{{ref|[http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue125/A32_Whats_hot_Amiga_or.php What's hot: Amiga or Sega?], ''[[wikipedia:Compute!|Compute!]]'', Issue 125 (January 1991), page A32}}
 
−
 
 
−
==History==
 
−
{{MainArticle|History of the Sega Mega Drive}}
 
−
 
 
−
==Games==
 
−
{{mainArticle|Sega Mega Drive games}}
 
−
[[File:MDAdd-ons.jpg|thumb|right|A Japanese Sega Mega Drive (Model 1) overloaded with add-ons including the [[Sega Mega-CD]] (Model 1), [[Sega 32X]], [[Remote Arcade System]] and [[Mega-CD Karaoke]].]]
 
−
 
 
−
==Magazine articles==
 
−
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Magazine articles}}
 
−
 
 
−
==Promotional material==
 
−
===Print advertisements===
 
−
<gallery>
 
−
MD JP PrintAdvert 1.jpg|JP (1)
 
−
MD JP PrintAdvert 2.jpg|JP (2)
 
−
MD JP PrintAdvert 3.jpg|JP (3)
 
−
MD JP PrintAdvert Sonic.jpg|JP (''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' bundle)
 
−
MD US PrintAdvert 2.jpg|US (2)
 
−
MD-GG IT PrintAdvert.jpeg|IT (1)
 
−
MD IT PrintAdvert.jpg|IT (2)
 
−
SegaMegaDrive ES PrintAd 1990-09.jpg|ES (1)
 
−
MegaDrive ES PrintAd 1991-06.jpg|ES (1; variation)
 
−
PacksMegaDrive ES PrintAd 1993-05 02.jpg|ES (8-2)
 
−
PacksMegaDrive ES PrintAd 1993-05 03.jpg|ES (8-3)
 
−
PacksMegaDrive ES PrintAd 1993-06.jpg|ES (8; variation 2)
 
−
1993 12 - Mega Drive 1.jpg|ES (11-1)
 
−
1993 12 - Mega Drive 2.jpg|ES (11-2)
 
−
1994 05 - Mega 7.jpg|ES (12)
 
−
1994 06 - Mega 7.jpg|ES (12; variation)
 
−
 
 
−
MD2 AU PrintAdvert 1993-11-21.jpg|AU (1993-11-21)
 
−
MD2 AU PrintAdvert 1993-12-05.jpg|AU (1993-12-05)
 
−
MD2 AU PrintAdvert 1994-02-20.jpg|AU (1994-02-20)
 
−
MD2 AU PrintAdvert 1994-04-03.jpg|AU (1994-04-03)
 
−
MD2 AU PrintAdvert 1994-07-03.jpg|AU (1994-07-03)
 
−
MD2 AU PrintAdvert 1994-10-16.jpg|AU (1994-10-16)
 
−
MD2 AU PrintAdvert 1995-06-18.jpg|AU (1995-06-18)
 
−
</gallery>
 
−
{{gallery
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|GamePro US 003.pdf|gamepro|3|86-87
 
−
|GamePro US 004.pdf|gamepro|4|52
 
−
|GamePro US 005.pdf|gamepro|5|22
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|GamePlayers US 0105.pdf|gameplayers|0105|14-15
 
−
|VG&CE US 11.pdf|vgce|11|40
 
−
|GamePlayers US 0106.pdf|gameplayers|0106|26
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|EGM US 027.pdf|egm|27|60-61
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|EGM US 030.pdf|egm|30|207
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|ACE UK 37.pdf|ace|37|50-51
 
−
|CVG UK 107.pdf|cvg|107|122-123
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|CVG UK 108.pdf|cvg|108|50-51
 
−
|ACE UK 38.pdf|ace|38|36-37
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|SegaPower UK 13.pdf|segapower|13|32-33
 
−
|ACE UK 39.pdf|ace|39|108
 
−
|CVG UK 109.pdf|cvg|109|46-47
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|SegaPower UK 14.pdf|segapower|14|22-23
 
−
|Raze UK 03.pdf|raze|3|64
 
−
|CVG UK 110.pdf|cvg|110|86-87
 
−
|Raze UK 04.pdf|raze|4|12
 
−
|Raze UK 05.pdf|raze|5|12
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|CVG UK 111.pdf|cvg|111|74
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|CVG UK 113.pdf|cvg|113|63
 
−
|CVG UK 114.pdf|cvg|114|67
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|CVG UK 122.pdf|cvg|122|57-60
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|CVG UK 126.pdf|cvg|126|8-9
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|CVG UK 157.pdf|cvg|157|20
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|PlayerOne FR 001.pdf|playerone|1|2-3
 
−
|Joystick FR 009.pdf|joystick|9|86-87
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|Joystick FR 027.pdf|joystick|27|177,179,181,183
 
−
|Joystick FR 029.pdf|joystick|29|179
 
−
|Joypad FR 009.pdf|joypad|9|83
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|PowerPlay DE 031.pdf|pp|31|134-135
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|PowerPlay DE 033.pdf|pp|33|155
 
−
|PowerPlay DE 035.pdf|pp|35|163
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|Gamers DE 1992-01.pdf|gamersde|1992-01|25
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|VideoGames DE 1992-11.pdf|videogames|1992-11|2
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 002.pdf|hobbyconsolas|2|9-11
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 007.pdf|hobbyconsolas|7|38-39
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 008.pdf|hobbyconsolas|8|42-43
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 009.pdf|hobbyconsolas|9|12-13
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 010.pdf|hobbyconsolas|10|12-13
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 011.pdf|hobbyconsolas|11|8-9
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 012.pdf|hobbyconsolas|12|8-13
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 013.pdf|hobbyconsolas|13|14-17
 
−
|MegaForce ES 05.pdf|megaforcees|5|22-27
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 013.pdf|hobbyconsolas|13|18-19
 
−
|MegaForce ES 06.pdf|megaforcees|6|2-3
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 014.pdf|hobbyconsolas|14|30-31
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 015.pdf|hobbyconsolas|15|6-7
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 016.pdf|hobbyconsolas|16|6-7
 
−
|OKConsolas ES 12.pdf|okconsolas|12|6-7
 
−
|Micromania ES 056.pdf|micromania2|56|32-33
 
−
|Micromania ES 057.pdf|micromania2|57|28
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|Micromania ES 060.pdf|micromania2|60|2-4
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|Micromania ES 061.pdf|micromania2|61|2-3
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|TodoSega ES 09.pdf|todosega|9|2-3
 
−
|Micromania ES 068.pdf|micromania2|68|2
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|HobbyConsolas ES 037.pdf|hobbyconsolas|37|2-3
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|K IT 22.pdf|k|22|23
 
−
|K IT 23.pdf|k|23|2
 
−
|GuidaVideoGiochi IT 16.pdf|gvg|16|15
 
−
|GuidaVideoGiochi IT 17.pdf|gvg|17|9
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|K IT 24.pdf|k|24|87
 
−
|K IT 25.pdf|k|25|15
 
−
|K IT 26.pdf|k|26|64
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|K IT 27.pdf|k|27|9
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{GalleryPrintAd
 
−
|MegaForce PT 01.pdf|megaforcept|1|36-37
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{GalleryPrintAd
 
−
|MegaForce PT 01.pdf|megaforcept|1|68
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|MegaForce PT 03.pdf|megaforcept|3|6-7
 
−
|Bestial PT 03.pdf|bestial|3|32-33
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|SegaForce SE 1992 01.pdf|sfsw|1992-01|36
 
−
|SegaForce SE 1992 02.pdf|sfsw|1992-02|36
 
−
|SegaForce SE 1993 01.pdf|sfsw|1993-01|23
 
−
|SegaForce SE 1993 02.pdf|sfsw|1993-02|17
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|VideoGame BR 02.pdf|vg|2|26-27
 
−
}}
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
====Retailers====
 
−
{{gallery
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|text=Toys 'R' Us print advert
 
−
|SegaVisions US 01.pdf|sv|1|2
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|text=Kay-Bee print advert
 
−
|SegaVisions US 01.pdf|sv|1|35
 
−
}}
 
−
|{{galleryPrintAd
 
−
|text=Sears print advert
 
−
|SegaVisions US 09.pdf|sv|9|7
 
−
|SegaVisions US 10.pdf|sv|10|5
 
−
|EGM US BuyersGuide 1993.pdf|egm|bg93|51
 
−
|SegaVisions US 11.pdf|sv|11|7
 
−
}}
 
−
}}
 
−
 
 
−
===Pamphlets===
 
−
<gallery>
 
−
Sega Megadive AU Pamphlet.pdf|AU
 
−
</gallery>
 
−
 
 
−
===Television advertisements===
 
−
<gallery>
 
−
MD JP TVAdvert Sonic.mp4|JP (''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' bundle)
 
−
MD US TVAdvert ArcadeExperience.mp4|US ("we bring the arcade experience home")
 
−
MD US TVAdvert NewGeneration.mp4|US ("new generation")
 
−
MD US TVAdvert GenesisDoesSports.mp4|US ("Genesis does sports")
 
−
Blast Processing Commercial.mp4|US ("Blast Processing")
 
−
MD UK TVAdvert CyberRazorCut 1.mp4|UK ("Cyber Razor Cut")
 
−
MD UK TVAdvert CyberRazorCut 2.mp4|UK ("Cyber Razor Cut" 2)
 
−
MD UK TVAdvert CyberRazorCut 4.mp4|UK ("Cyber Razor Cut" 4)
 
−
MD UK TVAdvert Squeezer.mp4|UK ("Squeezer")
 
−
MD DE TVAdvert SegaTV.mp4|DE ("Sega TV")
 
−
MagnumSet MD DE TVAdvert.mp4|DE (Magnum Set)
 
−
MD NL TVAdvert 1.mp4|NL
 
−
MD2 AU TVAdvert 1.mp4|AU
 
−
SuperGamBoy MD KR TVAdvert 1.mp4|KR (Super Gam*Boy)
 
−
SuperAladdinBoy MD KR TVAdvert.mp4|KR (Super Aladdin Boy)
 
−
MD PT TVAdvert.mp4|PT
 
−
</gallery>
 
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==Artwork==
 
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<gallery>
 
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Mega Drive Japanese logo.png|Japanese logo
 
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Genesis logo.png|North American logo
 
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Megadrive EU Logo.png|European/Australian logo
 
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MegaDrive BR logo.png|Brazillian logo
 
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MegaDrive AS logo.png|Asian logo
 
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</gallery>
 
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==Notes==
 
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<references group="n"/>
 
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|cols=2}}
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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<references/>
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<references />
 
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|cols=3}}
 
  
 
{{MegaDrive}}
 
{{MegaDrive}}
 
{{Sega Consoles}}
 
{{Sega Consoles}}
 
[[Category:Sega Mega Drive| ]]
 
[[Category:Sega Mega Drive| ]]

Latest revision as of 08:03, 16 November 2024

Mega Drive Japanese logo.png
MD1 JP console set.jpg
Sega Mega Drive
Manufacturer: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Variants: Mega Drive 2, Genesis 3, Mega Jet, Nomad, Mega Tech, Mega Play, Amstrad Mega PC
Add-ons: Mega-CD, Sega 32X, Mega Modem, Power Base Converter
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		¥21,00021,000 HAA-2510
Sega Mega Drive
US
(NY/LA) 		$200.00200.00 MK-1601
Sega Mega Drive
US
(Nationwide) 		$200.00200.00 MK-1601
Sega Mega Drive
DE 		1600-18
Sega Mega Drive
ES 		38,900Ptas38,900[4] 1600-06
Sega Mega Drive
FR 		1890F1890 1600-09
Sega Mega Drive
NL 		ƒ399399 1600-20
Sega Mega Drive
PT
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		£189.99189.99[2][3] 1600-05
Sega Mega Drive
SI 		24,990 tolarjev24,990
Sega Mega Drive
SE 		1995 kr1995 1600-24
Sega Mega Drive
GR
Sega Mega Drive
IT 		399,000£399,000[5] 1600-13
Sega Mega Drive
TR
Sega Mega Drive
CZ 		4,579 Kč4,579[7]
Sega Mega Drive
PL
Sega Mega Drive
AU 		$349.00349.00[9] 1600-03
Sega Mega Drive
NZ
Sega Mega Drive
MX
Sega Mega Drive
AR
Sega Mega Drive
BR 		R$70,000,00Cr$70,000,00Cr$[11] 010300
Sega Mega Drive
CN
Sega Mega Drive
KR 		₩154,000154,000
Sega Mega Drive
RU
Sega Mega Drive
ZA
Sega Mega Drive
IN 		₹18,00018,000

The Mega Drive (メガドライブ), called the Sega Genesis in North America and Super Gam*Boy (수퍼겜보이), later Super Aladdin Boy (수퍼알라딘 보이) in South Korea, is a cartridge-based video game console developed by Sega in 1988.

Codenamed the Sega Mark V during development[13] it is Sega's fifth video game console (following the SG-1000, SG-1000 II, Sega Mark III and Sega Master System) to be released, but only the second substantial hardware upgrade. The Mega Drive's selling point was its 16-bit main processor, which in adddition to superior graphics capabilities, allowed for a more advanced gaming experience previously limited to the arcades.

The Mega Drive is Sega's most successful video game console, with 40 million hardware units sold worldwide,[14] including more than 20 million in the United States, over 9 million in Western Europe, 3.58 million in Japan, and 3 million in Brazil.[15] It has a software library consisting of more than one thousand games; more than previous generations of Sega hardware combined.

As well as competing with Nintendo's Famicom (NES) and later Super Famicom (SNES), Sega also found itself fighting against NEC's PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16), SNK's Neo Geo, the Atari Jaguar, and numerous home computers, driving the term "console war" as it attempted to acheive market dominance. While the Super NES ended up surpassing the Mega Drive in worldwide hardware sales (49 million), more software was sold for Sega's console, and its 16:1 attach ratio was double that of the SNES.[16]

The Mega Drive saw two major expansions to extend its shelf life, first with Sega Mega-CD in 1991 and later the Sega 32X in 1994. The Mega Drive would be succeeded by the Sega Saturn (also released in 1994), though was still receiving officially licensed games as late as 2000.

Hardware

The Mega Drive was envisioned at the next technological step over other video game consoles available at the time. It is a "16-bit" machine, named after its use of a 16-bit CPU (in this case, the Motorola 68000), and was marketed as being superior to the "8-bit" consoles dominating the market at the time, including the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Sega Master System. 16-bit CPUs had been gaining popularity since the mid-80s, were widely used in arcade machines, and were almost expected to be found in new home computers - it was therefore considered logical that the next "generation" of dedicated video game consoles should follow suit.

The Mega Drive builds on technology found in the Master System (and with adaptors, is fully backwards compatible), though as well as upping the technical specifications for more demanding gameplay, sound and graphics, makes a number of crucial changes to the design of consoles which continue to this day. Firstly it added a third face button, C, to the (now ergonomically designed) control pad. The Mega Drive outputs sound in stereo, and makes an attempt to region lock games through software. Also, when utilising the right cables, the Mega Drive is natively able to produce a clearer image than its rivals (on top of its already higher resolution 320x240 display).

All Mega Drives ultilise a top-loading design (as opposed to the cumbersome VCR-style cartridge loading of the Western NES), while having removable controllers (unlike the Famicom). It was designed from day one to allow hardware expansions, and its use of dark plastic means that the "yellowing" of older systems (from bromine-based flame retardants reacting with oxygen) is less of an issue.

Models

Main article: Mega Drive consoles.

Mega Drive

The original Mega Drive measures 28 cm×21.2 cm×7 cm. The top of the unit is split into two components: a circular emboss with the cartridge slot and a tagline (which was omitted on later versions), and a control panel containing the power and reset buttons and the volume slider for the headphones jack. Audio output through the original model was mono through the A/V port, while the headphone jack was used for stereo sound. A third DE-9 port on the back of the unit provided additional peripheral support, though was removed from later revisions.

Asian, Japanese and South Korean models have a cartridge locking mechanism which prevents cartridges from being removed when the power is on (which is why "Eastern" cartridges, as well as the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge and various others, have a cut-out on their left sides). Later runs included the TradeMark Security System, missing in early builds causing small compatibility issues, despite the feature having been planned early on.

  • Japanese model

  • North American model

  • European model

  • Brazilian model

  • Brazilian model (Mega Drive II)

  • Asian model

  • South Korean model

Mega Drive 2

1993 saw this cost-reduced redesign (known as the Mega Drive II in Europe, and sold simply as "Genesis" in North America without the Sega prefix), at 22 cm×21.2 cm×5.9 cm, being introduced internationally. One of the major revisions from the original model was the removal of the headphones jack in favor of stereo output through a redesigned 9-pin A/V port. The Mega Drive 2 also used an external RF modulator (all non-Japanese Mega Drive models had an internal modulator), which was packed in with Western systems. American and European models also used a push-button toggle switch for power while non-Western models used a slide switch like the original model. Furthermore, the audio mixing circuitry was modified, resulting in noticeably different quality audio output — here is a page with audio samples, provided by little-scale.

Contrary to popular belief, this model does indeed have a Zilog Z80 — albeit in a QFP-44 form factor. This version of the Z80 is not immediately recognizable compared to the DIP Z80, which is used in all revisions of the original Mega Drive. Had the Z80 been missing, most games would often have little to no sound. Beginning with the VA4 board revision, the Z80 was integrated into a custom ASIC which also incorporated major chips of the system.

  • Japanese/Asian model

  • North American model

  • European model

  • South Korean model

Genesis 3

Main article: Genesis 3.
A Genesis 3.

The Genesis 3 was a small version manufactured by Majesco in 1998 for the US market, which they had been manufacturing for until then. It is much smaller than its predecessors and lacks all expansions and fixes memory controller bugs — both rendering some games unplayable and the Sega CD and 32X unusable.

Portables: Mega Jet and Nomad

Main articles: Sega Mega Jet and Sega Nomad.

The Mega Jet and Nomad were portable Mega Drive systems released near the middle/end of the system's lifetime. The Mega Jet, released in 1994, was originally designed for use on JAL airliners but was later released for Japanese consumers. The Mega Jet is a semi-portable system; the system has a built-in controller but requires an external power supply and a TV. The Nomad was a full portable in its own right, having an integrated screen and sound capabilities, in addition to a battery pack.

Arcade hardware: Mega Tech, Mega Play, and the System C

Main articles: Mega Tech, Mega Play, System C.

The Mega Drive hardware was adapted for arcade use several times over the course of its life. The Mega Tech and Mega Play allowed arcade operators to provide somewhat modified versions of popular Mega Drive games for arcade play — these systems use special cartridges containing games and players can choose from the games plugged into the system. The System C is a different board built from modified Mega Drive hardware, boasting improved color abilities and (in later revisions known collectively as the System C2) improved sample playback. The System C was primarily home to puzzle games — Columns and Puyo Puyo were released on this hardware.

Data East is also known to have licensed Mega Drive hardware for an arcade version of High Seas Havoc; not much is known about this board.

Mega-CD combos: JVC Wondermega/X'eye, Pioneer LaserActive, Sega Multi-Mega, and Aiwa Mega CD

Main articles: Wondermega, LaserActive, Sega Multi-Mega, Aiwa Mega CD.

Combination Mega Drive/Mega-CD units were developed over the course of the Mega-CD's lifetime. The Wondermega and LaserActive are standalone consoles; the LaserActive also plays LaserDiscs. The Multi-Mega is a portable audio CD player that can play Mega Drive and Mega-CD games when plugged in to wall power and a TV. The Aiwa Mega CD is a Mega Drive/Mega-CD packed into Aiwa's consumer-level portable CD stereos.

Computer combinations: Sega Teradrive, Amstrad Mega PC, al-Alamiah units

Main articles: Sega Teradrive, Amstrad Mega PC, Al-Alamiah AX-660, Al-Alamiah AX-990.

The Teradrive and Mega PC are combination Mega Drive/IBM-compatible PCs made for the Japanese and UK markets, respectively. The three Al-Alamiah computers are combination Mega Drive/MSX computers for the Arabic market.

Modern System-on-a-Chip compilations

A variety of companies now make licensed system-on-a-chip units in a variety of fashions that contain single-chip Mega Drive implementations and several licensed ROM images. TecToy-made SoaCs also contain several "new" MD games, however these are believed to be — and likely are — Java 2 Mobile Edition games running on additional hardware. For a full list of SoaCs, see the template at the bottom of the page.

Hardware revisions

Main article: Sega Mega Drive/Hardware revisions.

Cartridges

Main article: Sega Mega Drive cartridges.

Technical specifications

Main article: Sega Mega Drive/Technical specifications.

Comparison

Main article: Sega Mega Drive/Hardware comparison

It was the most powerful console at the time of its release in 1988, surpassing the PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16), and it was not surpassed in power until the Neo Geo in 1990. The Mega Drive is roughly comparable to its main rival, the SNES, released in 1990, with the Mega Drive having more raw processing power whereas the SNES has a larger color palette (see Sega Mega Drive/Hardware comparison (Super NES) article for a detailed technical comparison between the Mega Drive and SNES).

Compared to home computers at the time, it was not as powerful as the Japan-exclusive X68000 (released 1987) or FM Towns (released 1989). However, the Mega Drive was more powerful than Western home computers in the late '80s, including the Amiga.

History

Main article: History of the Sega Mega Drive.

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English (UK) Sega Mega Drive Sega Mega Drive
English (US) Sega Genesis Sega Genesis
Japanese メガドライブ Mega Drive
Korean 수퍼겜보이, 수퍼알라딘 보이 Super Gam*Boy, Super Aladdin Boy
Chinese (Simplified) 劲锋壹號
Hebrew מגה דרייב

Games

Main article: Sega Mega Drive games.
A Japanese Sega Mega Drive (Model 1) overloaded with add-ons including the Sega Mega-CD (Model 1), Sega 32X, Remote Arcade System and Mega-CD Karaoke.

Production credits

Japanese version

Source:
Developer mentions[18][19][20][21][22]


Magazine articles

Main article: Sega Mega Drive/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Sega Mega Drive/Promotional material.

Logos by regions

Logo Region
  • Mega Drive Japanese logo.svg
  • File-Mega Drive Japanese Logo.svg
 Used in Japan, Asia, Africa,
parts of Eastern Europe and
South Korea (from 1997)
  • Genesis logo.png
  • Genesis logo alt.png
 Used in North America
and parts of South America
  • MegaDrive BR logo.png
 Used in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay
and Uruguay
  • Megadrive EU Logo.png
  • Megadrive EU Logo alt.png
 Used in Western and Eastern Europe,
Asia, Africa and Australasia
  • MegaDrive AS logo.png
 Used in Asia
  • Mega Drive SE logo.png
 Used in Scandinavia
  • Notavailable.svg
 Used in South Korea (Super Gam*Boy)
  • Notavailable.svg
 Used in South Korea (Super Aladdin Boy)

External links

References

  1. ↑ https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/ (Wayback Machine: 2018-03-22 22:57)
  2. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "September 1990" (UK; 1990-08-16), page 13
  3. ↑ ACE, "October 1990" (UK; 1990-09-xx), page 51
  4. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Octubre 1990" (ES; 1990-xx-xx), page 63
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 K, "Novembre 1990" (IT; 1990-xx-xx), page 21
  6. ↑ Video Club #20 page 23
  7. ↑ ABC, "Ročník 37, 16" (CZ; 1993-04-24), page 31
  8. ↑ Megazone, "August 1990" (AU; 1990-0x-xx), page 50
  9. ↑ Megazone, "November 1990" (AU; 1990-11-xx), page 25
  10. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20210622072008/https://techmonitor.ai/technology/sega_starts_test_marketing_new_machine
  11. ↑ https://acervo.estadao.com.br/publicados/1990/11/22/g/19901122-35513-nac-0081-eco-9-not-aaweass.jpg
  12. ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/economy/story/19940430-shaw-wallace-to-manufacture-market-sega-tv-games-in-india-810502-1994-04-30 (Wayback Machine: 2020-06-21 19:35)
  13. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqdN_L4YaDE#t=7m45
  14. ↑ Interview: Joe Miller (2013-02-07) by Sega-16
  15. ↑ Fourth generation of video games
  16. ↑ Press release: 1997-06-04: Sega Lowers Price on Hardware, Software
  17. ↑ https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/darrenwall/sega-mega-drive-genesis-collected-works-reprint
  18. ↑ https://www.famitsu.com/news/201308/12038274.html
  19. ↑ File:Sega_Consumer_History_JP_EnterBrain_Book.pdf, page 23
  20. ↑ Harmony, "1994 8" (JP; 1994-08-01), page 18
  21. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/hiroyuki.ohtaka/about_work_and_education
  22. ↑ https://sbtransr02.wixsite.com/kazuhiko-nagai/my-works-1


Sega Mega Drive
Topics Technical specifications (Hardware comparison) | History | List of games | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Merchandise | Cartridges | TradeMark Security System
Hardware Japan | North America | Western Europe | Eastern Europe | South America | Asia | South Korea | Australasia | Africa
EZ Games | Genesis 3 | LaserActive | Mega Jet | Mega PC | Mega Play | Mega-Tech System | Mega 6 | Nomad | Teradrive | Mega Drive Mini | Mega Drive Mini 2
New Mega Drive | Tianli VCD/DVD Players | "Consoles on a chip" | Licensed clones (Magic 2 | Mega Game II | Power Pegasus | Super Bitman)
Unlicensed clones
Add-ons Game Box | Power Base Converter | Mega-CD | 32X (Mega-CD 32X) | Mega Modem | Demo System DS-16
Cases Sega Genesis Nomad Carrying Case | System Carry Case
Controllers Control Pad | Six Button Control Pad | 6 Button Arcade Pad | Arcade Power Stick 6B | Konami Justifier | MK-1470
Action Chair | Activator | Arcade Power Stick | Keyboard | MegaFire | Mouse | Mega Stick | Menacer | Remote Arcade System | Ten Key Pad | Third Party Controllers
Accessories 4 Way Play | AC adaptor | Cleaning System | Control Pad Extension Cord | Game Factory | Genesis Speakers | Headset | HeartBeat Catalyst | Microphone | Region converter cartridges | Mega Terminal | Nomad PowerBack | RF Unit | SCART Cable | Stereo Audio Video Cable | Team Player | Video Monitor Cable | Third-party AC adaptors | Third Party Accessories
Network services Sega Channel | Sega Game Toshokan | Mega Anser | Mega Net | TeleBradesco Residência | XB∀ND
Development tools ERX 308P | ERX 318P | Sprobe | SNASM68K | SNASM2 (Mega Drive) | SNASM2 (32X) | PSY-Q Development System (Mega Drive) | PSY-Q Development System (32X) | 32X CartDev | Sega Mars Development Aid System | Sega 32X Development Target
Unreleased Edge 16 | Floppy Disk Drive | Mega Play 1010 | Sega VR | Teleplay System | Video Jukebox
Sega Home Video Game Systems
83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11
SG-1000 SG-1000 II Mega Drive Mega Drive II
SC-3000 Mega-CD Mega-CD II Genesis 3
Sega Mark III 32X Dreamcast
Master System Master System II
AI Computer Game Gear
Saturn
Pico Beena
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