Difference between revisions of "Blast processing"
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| − | + | '''Blast Processing''' was a marketing term coined by [[Sega]] to advertise the claim that the main processor of the [[Sega Mega Drive]] was over two times faster than the one in its rival product, the [[wikipedia:Super Nintendo Entertainment System|SNES]]. ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' was the posterboy for this campaign, being faster than any other platform game at the time. The ad campaign featured commercials with races between two vehicles, with the SNES strapped to one and the Mega Drive strapped to the other. | |
| − | The ad campaign featured commercials with races between | + | |
| + | <p style="float:right; padding: 5px"><mediaplayer>File:Blast Processing Commercial.flv</mediaplayer></p> | ||
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| + | In truth, the claim is not entirely accurate: while the SNES CPU ran slower in clock cycles per second, it would put out more instructions per clock cycle. The Mega Drive would have to freeze background and enemy animations while the game is moving at high speeds. | ||
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| + | The idea of simply comparing CPU clock rates to determine performance, regardless of other characteristics, is commonly known as the "[[wikipedia:Megahertz myth|megahertz myth]]". | ||
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| + | [http://info.sonicretro.org/Image:GamesTMRetrospect.jpg gamesTM - Gaming News '92 "Hogging the World Stage"] | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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*[http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3134008 1UP.com's Essential 50 - #28 Sonic The Hedgehog] | *[http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3134008 1UP.com's Essential 50 - #28 Sonic The Hedgehog] | ||
[[Category:Sega Mega Drive]] | [[Category:Sega Mega Drive]] | ||
Revision as of 20:17, 30 June 2011
Blast Processing was a marketing term coined by Sega to advertise the claim that the main processor of the Sega Mega Drive was over two times faster than the one in its rival product, the SNES. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was the posterboy for this campaign, being faster than any other platform game at the time. The ad campaign featured commercials with races between two vehicles, with the SNES strapped to one and the Mega Drive strapped to the other.
<mediaplayer>File:Blast Processing Commercial.flv</mediaplayer>
In truth, the claim is not entirely accurate: while the SNES CPU ran slower in clock cycles per second, it would put out more instructions per clock cycle. The Mega Drive would have to freeze background and enemy animations while the game is moving at high speeds.
The idea of simply comparing CPU clock rates to determine performance, regardless of other characteristics, is commonly known as the "megahertz myth".
gamesTM - Gaming News '92 "Hogging the World Stage"
