Action Replay (Mega Drive)

Accessory Program
Action Replay
Made for: Sega Mega Drive
Manufacturer: Datel
Release Date RRP Code

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The Action Replay is a cheat device created for the Sega Mega Drive. It was originally released by Datel in the United Kingdom in late 1991, and was the latest in a line of cheat devices which continue to this day.

The Mega Drive Action Replay was the first cheat device to be released for the console, pre-dating the Game Genie by the best part of a year. Unlike the Game Genie, however, no Action Replay cartridges were ever licensed or endorsed by Sega, though unlike rivals Nintendo, the company did not actively seek to prevent such devices from being sold.

Hardware

Several versions of the Mega Drive Action Replay exist and many more packaging variants were created, however the core functionality of the cartridge remains the same. In addition to the standard Action Replay cartridge, Datel released the Pro Version Action Replay (which introduced a cheat finding feature), Pro Action Replay and Pro Action Replay 2 (the latter sometimes dropping the "2", but otherwise includes some "built-in" cheats for popular games).

All versions of the Action Replay act as a pass-through device between the Mega Drive console and a game cartridge, intercepting signals and adjusting how the game runs depending on what codes have been added by the player. As a side-effect of this design, Action Replays also act as region converters, allowing Japanese games to be played on Western systems (likely a key part of its success in Europe). In addition, Datel provided regularly cheat books containing game codes.

Unlike its Game Gear and Master System counterparts the Mega Drive Action Replay was released in North America, though was unable to find the same level of success as the Game Genie.

Gallery

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  Action Replay

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  Pro Version Action Replay

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  Pro Action Replay

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  Pro Action Replay 2

Promotional material

• ProActionReplay GenesisMasterSystemGameGear Flyer.jpg

  Flyer

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  Flyer

Print advert in MegaTech (UK) #1: "Xmas 1991" (1991-12-06)
also published in:

• MegaTech (UK) #2: "February 1992" (1992-01-20)
• MegaTech (UK) #3: "March 1992" (1992-02-20)

Print advert in MegaTech (UK) #6: "June 1992" (1992-05-20)

Print advert in Mega (UK) #1: "October 1992" (1992-09-17)

Print advert in Sega Pro (UK) #29: "March 1994" (1994-01-27)

Print advert in Mega (UK) #16: "January 1994" (1993-12-16)

Print advert in Mega (UK) #21: "June 1994" (1994-05-19)

Print advert in Sega Pro (DE) #1: "November 1992" (1992-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Pro (DE) #2: "Dezember 1992" (1992-11-27)
also published in:

• Sega Pro (DE) #3: "Januar 1993" (1992-12-xx)
• Sega Pro (DE) #4: "Februar 1993" (1993-01-xx)

Print advert in Sega Magazin (DE) #2: "November/Dezember 1993" (1993-11-03)

Print advert in GamePro (DE) #1994-10: "Oktober 1994" (1994-09-30)

Print advert in Game Power (IT) #1: "Dicembre 1991" (1991-1x-xx)
also published in:

• Game Power (IT) #2: "Gennaio 1992" (199x-xx-xx)

Print advert in Bestial! (PT) #3: "xxxx xxxx" (1993-xx-xx)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source Sega Power (UK) 75 №26, p65

	75
Based on 1 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score MegaTech (UK) 87 Sega Power (UK) 75

	81
Based on 2 reviews

Action Replay (Mega Drive)

Mega Drive, US
Cover

Mega Drive, US (Pro Version)
Cover

Mega Drive, UK
Cover

Mega Drive, UK (Pro Version)
Cover

Mega Drive, UK (Pro)
Cover

Mega Drive, UK (Pro Version) (alt)
Cover

Mega Drive, UK (Pro) (alt)
Cover

Mega Drive, UK (Pro 2)
Cover

Mega Drive, DE (Pro)
Cover

Mega Drive, DE (Pro 2)
Cover

Mega Drive, ES (Pro)
Cover