Difference between revisions of "Sega Channel"

From Sega Retro

(found some good shit when cleaning up the other day)
(→‎List of Games: added additional games from File:SegaChannelBarker-Back.jpg, fixed some existing entries)
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*''[[Amazing Tennis]]''
 
*''[[Amazing Tennis]]''
 
*''[[Arcus Odyssey]]''
 
*''[[Arcus Odyssey]]''
 +
*''[[Ariel the Little Mermaid]]''
 
*''[[Arrow Flash]]''
 
*''[[Arrow Flash]]''
−
*''[[Art Alive]]''
+
*''[[Art Alive!]]''
 
*''[[Asterix and the Great Rescue]]''
 
*''[[Asterix and the Great Rescue]]''
 
*''[[ATP Tour Championship Tennis]]''
 
*''[[ATP Tour Championship Tennis]]''
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*''[[Ballz]]''
 
*''[[Ballz]]''
 
*''[[Barkley: Shut Up and Jam!]]''
 
*''[[Barkley: Shut Up and Jam!]]''
−
*''[[Bass Masters Classic: Pro Edition]]'' (Test Drive only?)
+
*''[[Bass Masters Classic: Pro Edition]]''
 
*''[[Batman Returns]]''
 
*''[[Batman Returns]]''
 +
*''[[BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat]]''
 
*''[[Berenstain Bears: Camping Adventure]]''
 
*''[[Berenstain Bears: Camping Adventure]]''
 
*''[[Best of the Best Championship Karate]]''
 
*''[[Best of the Best Championship Karate]]''
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*''[[Bubsy]]''
 
*''[[Bubsy]]''
 
*''[[Bubsy II]]''
 
*''[[Bubsy II]]''
 +
*''[[Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble]]''
 
*''[[Buster Douglas Boxing]]''
 
*''[[Buster Douglas Boxing]]''
 
*''[[Castlevania Bloodlines]]''
 
*''[[Castlevania Bloodlines]]''
 
*''[[California Games]]''
 
*''[[California Games]]''
 +
*''[[Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse]]''
 
*''[[Chakan the Foreverman]]''
 
*''[[Chakan the Foreverman]]''
 
*''[[Championship Pool]]''
 
*''[[Championship Pool]]''
 
*''[[Chase H.Q.]]''
 
*''[[Chase H.Q.]]''
 
*''[[Chessmaster]]''
 
*''[[Chessmaster]]''
 +
*''[[ClayFighter]]''
 
*''[[Clue]]'' (Cluedo)
 
*''[[Clue]]'' (Cluedo)
 
*''[[College Football National Championship]]''
 
*''[[College Football National Championship]]''
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*''[[Crystal's Pony Tale]]''
 
*''[[Crystal's Pony Tale]]''
 
*''[[Cyborg Justice]]''
 
*''[[Cyborg Justice]]''
 +
*''[[Decap Attack]]''
 
*''[[Desert Demolition Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote]]''
 
*''[[Desert Demolition Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote]]''
 
*''[[Desert Strike]]''
 
*''[[Desert Strike]]''
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*''[[Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine]]''
 
*''[[Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine]]''
 
*''[[Double Dribble]]''
 
*''[[Double Dribble]]''
 +
*''[[Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun]]''
 
*''[[Dyna Brothers 2]]''
 
*''[[Dyna Brothers 2]]''
 
*''[[Dynamite Headdy]]''
 
*''[[Dynamite Headdy]]''
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*''[[Ex-Mutants]]''
 
*''[[Ex-Mutants]]''
 
*''[[Exo Squad]]'' (Test Drive only?)
 
*''[[Exo Squad]]'' (Test Drive only?)
 +
*''[[F-15 Strike Eagle II]]''
 
*''[[Fatal Labyrinth]]''
 
*''[[Fatal Labyrinth]]''
 
*''[[FIFA Soccer '95]]''
 
*''[[FIFA Soccer '95]]''
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*''[[Garfield: Caught in the Act]]''
 
*''[[Garfield: Caught in the Act]]''
 
*''[[Garfield: The Lost Levels]]''
 
*''[[Garfield: The Lost Levels]]''
 +
*''[[Gargoyles]]''
 
*''[[General Chaos]]''
 
*''[[General Chaos]]''
 
*''[[Ghouls 'n Ghosts]]''
 
*''[[Ghouls 'n Ghosts]]''
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*''[[Gotron]]''
 
*''[[Gotron]]''
 
*''[[Gunstar Heroes]]''
 
*''[[Gunstar Heroes]]''
 +
*''[[Head-On Soccer]]''
 
*''[[Heavy Nova]]''
 
*''[[Heavy Nova]]''
 
*''[[Humans]]''
 
*''[[Humans]]''
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*''[[The Incredible Hulk]]''
 
*''[[The Incredible Hulk]]''
 
*''[[International Rugby]]''
 
*''[[International Rugby]]''
 +
*''[[Jeopardy! Deluxe Edition]]''
 
*''[[Jeopardy! Sports Edition]]''
 
*''[[Jeopardy! Sports Edition]]''
 
*''[[Jewel Master]]''
 
*''[[Jewel Master]]''
 
*''[[Jungle Strike]]''
 
*''[[Jungle Strike]]''
 +
*''[[Jurassic Park]]''
 
*''[[Kawasaki Superbike Challenge]]''
 
*''[[Kawasaki Superbike Challenge]]''
 
*''[[Kid Chameleon]]''
 
*''[[Kid Chameleon]]''
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*''[[Last Battle]]''
 
*''[[Last Battle]]''
 
*''[[Lethal Enforcers]]''
 
*''[[Lethal Enforcers]]''
−
*''[[Light Crusader]]'' (Test Drive only?)
+
*''[[Light Crusader]]''
 
*''[[Mario Lemieux Hockey]]''
 
*''[[Mario Lemieux Hockey]]''
 
*''[[Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow]]''
 
*''[[Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow]]''
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*''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]''
 
*''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]''
 
*''[[Mr. Nutz]]''
 
*''[[Mr. Nutz]]''
 +
*''[[MTV's Beavis and Butt-head]]
 
*''[[Mutant Chronicles: Doom Troopers]]''
 
*''[[Mutant Chronicles: Doom Troopers]]''
 +
*''[[Mutant League Football]]''
 
*''[[Mutant League Hockey]]''
 
*''[[Mutant League Hockey]]''
 
*''[[NCAA Final Four Basketball]]''
 
*''[[NCAA Final Four Basketball]]''
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*''[[OutRun]]''
 
*''[[OutRun]]''
 
*''[[OutRun 2019]]''
 
*''[[OutRun 2019]]''
 +
*''[[OutRunners]]''
 +
*''[[Paperboy 2]]''
 
*''[[Pele!]]''
 
*''[[Pele!]]''
 
*''[[Pele II: World Tournament Soccer]]''
 
*''[[Pele II: World Tournament Soccer]]''
 
*''[[PGA European Tour]]''
 
*''[[PGA European Tour]]''
 +
*''[[PGA Tour Golf]]''
 
*''[[PGA Tour Golf II]]''
 
*''[[PGA Tour Golf II]]''
 
*''[[PGA Tour Golf III]]''
 
*''[[PGA Tour Golf III]]''
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*''[[Primal Rage]]''
 
*''[[Primal Rage]]''
 
*''[[Pulseman]]''
 
*''[[Pulseman]]''
 +
*''[[The Punisher]]''
 
*''[[Quackshot]]''
 
*''[[Quackshot]]''
 
*''[[Race Drivin']]''
 
*''[[Race Drivin']]''
 
*''[[Ranger-X]]''
 
*''[[Ranger-X]]''
 +
*''[[Rastan Saga II]]''
 
*''[[Red Zone]]''
 
*''[[Red Zone]]''
 
*''[[The Revenge of Shinobi]]''
 
*''[[The Revenge of Shinobi]]''
 +
*''[[Richard Scarry's Busytown]]''
 
*''[[Rings of Power]]''
 
*''[[Rings of Power]]''
 
*''[[Ristar]]''
 
*''[[Ristar]]''
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*''[[Rolo to the Rescue]]''
 
*''[[Rolo to the Rescue]]''
 
*''[[Romance of the 3 Kingdoms III]]''
 
*''[[Romance of the 3 Kingdoms III]]''
 +
*''[[Rugby World Cup '95]]''
 
*''[[Saint Sword]]''
 
*''[[Saint Sword]]''
 
*''[[SeaQuest DSV]]''
 
*''[[SeaQuest DSV]]''
 +
*''[[Sesame Street Counting Cafe]]''
 
*''[[Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi]]''
 
*''[[Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi]]''
 +
*''[[Shadowrun]]''
 
*''[[Shining Force]]''
 
*''[[Shining Force]]''
 
*''[[Shining Force II]]''
 
*''[[Shining Force II]]''
 
*''[[Shining in the Darkness]]''
 
*''[[Shining in the Darkness]]''
 +
*''[[Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master]]''
 
*''[[Skitchin']]''
 
*''[[Skitchin']]''
 
*''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]''
 
*''[[Sonic & Knuckles]]''
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*''[[Super Street Fighter II]]''
 
*''[[Super Street Fighter II]]''
 
*''[[TechnoClash]]''
 
*''[[TechnoClash]]''
 +
*''[[Theme Park]]''
 
*''[[Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure]]''
 
*''[[Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure]]''
 
*''[[Tiny Toons: All-Stars]]''
 
*''[[Tiny Toons: All-Stars]]''
 
*''[[ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron]]''
 
*''[[ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron]]''
 +
*''[[Traysia]]''
 
*''[[Ultimate Qix]]''
 
*''[[Ultimate Qix]]''
 
*''[[Unnecessary Roughness '95]]''
 
*''[[Unnecessary Roughness '95]]''

Revision as of 23:12, 18 November 2010

File:Segchannel.jpg
Sega Channel logo
Sega Genesis with the Sega Channel Adaptor
Initial Sega Channel adaptor made by Scientific Atlanta
Later model Sega Channel adaptor made by General Instrument
File:SegaChannelBarker-Front.jpg
Front of "barker" ad sent to subscribers
File:SegaChannelBarker-Back.jpg
Back of "barker" ad sent to subscribers, listing upcoming games

Sega Channel was a project developed by Sega for the Sega Genesis gaming system. For a monthly subscription, the gamer would get an adapter which, once connected to their cable television connection would provide them with unlimited access to over 50 games, with new games appearing every 2 weeks. The games would be downloaded in about a minute and play just like the normal versions.

Sega also ran several promotions through the service. Special previews for up-and-coming titles were provided; some import games not found in the United States were exclusive to the service; cheats and tips were handed out.

In 1996, Sega introduced a "Wireless" version of the Sega Channel. This wireless service lasted about a year.

Within the first two years, the Sega Channel was distributed in over 20 million homes. Although fairly successful, the service ended up failing; more up to date consoles were making the Genesis obsolete.

International

The service was also available in some parts of the United Kingdom, Canada, South America, and Japan on certain cable services.

In Japan, the Sega Channel had a unique BIOs screen featuring Sonic the Hedgehog graphics, and some exclusive content made for that region, including "Dyna Brothers 2 Special". This game was eventually released on the Wii Virtual Console. Another game that is seemingly connected to the Sega Chanel, "Game no Kanzume Otokuyou", was discovered in the Dreamcast "Dream Passport 3".

Demo Cartridges

In 2009, demo cartridges of the Sega Channel started to appear for sale on eBay. The first seen of such carts was "Sega Channel Demo Cartridge #6".

Later on, another cartridge was up, "Sega Channel Demo Cartridge #4". This cartridge was purchased by a resident of Lost Levels, who generously lent the cartridge to LocalH to ROM dump. The ROM can now be obtained here.

The demo cartridge appears to be a prototype with in-progress Sega Channel work, featuring an intro sequence, graphics that would be used in the early days of it's broadcasting, a simulated downloading sequence, and a background/sound test. Looking into the ROM in a hex editor also shows various "SEGATV" error messages, as well as strange code snippets.

In the menus of the Sega Channel Demo's "Test Drive" section, you can see a listing for "The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse, Capcom". The original Magical Quest game was not released on the Sega Genesis.

List of Games

(Note: List is preliminary. As little has survived from the days of Sega Channel and no official list has been released, games may be missing.)

External links

  • Archive.org - Archive of the Sega Channel official homepage
  • Business Wire - Sega Channel Cited by "Popular Science" as Among 1994's Outstanding Products and Technological Achievements
  • Sega Channel - Technical details on Sega Channel and its game delivery method.
  • [1] - Gamesniped lists Sega Channel Demo 6.
  • [2] - "Dyna Brothers 2 Special" on Wii Virtual Console.
  • [3] - Japanese Blog entry which shows the boxart, cartridge and AC Adapter for Japanese Sega Channel
  • [4] - Japanese blog entry which shows some screenshots for the Japanese Sega Channel.


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 | 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 | Genesis Speakers | Headset | HeartBeat Catalyst | Microphone | Region converter cartridges | Mega Terminal | Nomad PowerBack | RF Unit (Mega Drive 2) | SCART Cable (Mega Drive 2) | 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
Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=Sega_Channel&oldid=32952"