KW-501

KW-501
Release Date RRP Code

The KW-501 is an unlicensed Sega Mega Drive clone manufactured in Taiwan and distributed across various countries during the 1990s. It was built as a more affordable alternative to Sega's official offering, and was one of the first (and perhaps most prominent) Mega Drive clones released to the general public. The KW-501 was predictably challenged by Sega in many markets, but saw traction in countries where Sega's presence was limited, particularly in Asia and South America.

Numerous companies distributed the KW-501, rebranding the unit to suit their needs. There are many slight variations of the console, including the Scorpion XVI , Froggy System 16, MG-16 (by Electrolab), Turbo Aito, Magic 2, Speedy Boy, MG-2 (by Kinyo), and KW-II and Kowi 96' (by Kowi) as well as a (preumably) unamed KW-501 unit by Saba. All KW-501 consoles are presumed to be internally identical, with minor cosmetic alterations and swapped RF adaptors for differing markets.

Hardware

The KW-501 functions as a regular (original model) Mega Drive, complete with volume slider and support for the Sega Mega CD via the expansion port underneath the unit. Futhermore its controller port positioning lines up with a real Mega Drive, meaning the Remote Arcade System is compatible. The unit is not, however, compatible with the Sega 32X, as the add-on's connection cable will not physically fit in the system - minor modifications to the circuit board can re-enable this functionality.

New to the KW-501 are two switches located next to the expansion port for determining both region and refresh rate, making the system compatible with the vast majority of Mega Drive games. The KW-501 was also designed around the concept of a built-in Mega Drive game - below the unit lies a second cartridge slot which the unit will default to if no cartridge is detected on top. Any regular Mega Drive game can be inserted here, however only the PCB will fit - the game must therefore be removed from its protective shell. It is rumoured some models lack this second port although this has not been confirmed.

The build quality of the KW-501 is predictably lower than the official Sega Mega Drive, but the system usually shipped with two six button controllers.

History

Under its Scorpion XVI name, the console became infamous in the United Kingdom, where it gained widespread press coverage and undercut Sega's official Mega Drive console by a considerable margin. Though presumed to have been forced out of the market shortly afterwards, the Scorpion XVI stands as one of the few clone consoles of this nature to make gains in the region and is now a valuable collectors item. The majority of variations of the console were released in South America, particularly in markets such as Argentina.

Gallery

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  Scorpion XVI

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  Turbo Aito

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  MG-16

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  Magic 2

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  Speedy Boy

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  MG-2

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  KW-501

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  KW-II

Physical Scans

Mega Drive, (Scorpion XVI)
Cover

Mega Drive, (MG-16)
Cover

Mega Drive, (Magic 2)
Cover

Mega Drive, (Speedy Boy)

Mega Drive, (MG-2)

Mega Drive, (KW-501)

Mega Drive, (KW-II)
Cover

Mega Drive, (Kowi 96')
Cover

External Link

• Scorpion 16 on CITV's "Bad Influence" (UK)