Unlicensed Mega Drive clones

The Sega Mega Drive was a commonly cloned console during the 1990s, especially in smaller markets. There are potentially hundreds of different models, though few have been documented on the internet. This page covers some of the consoles that we know exist, but don't know much else about.

This list covers consoles whose origins are not yet confirmed, were sold in multiple markets, or whose known details are not yet sufficient to warrant its own page. Most were manufactured in the far East, however it is not always known which markets they were sold in.

• Unlicensed Mega Drive clones (Russia)
• Unlicensed Mega Drive clones (South America)
• Unlicensed Mega Drive clones (South Korea)

Mega Drive

In the early 1990s, Sega were unable or unwilling to release the original Sega Mega Drive in multiple markets at once. Instead the release was staggered across the globe between 1988 and 1992/1993, which meant that for many, the only short-term option was to import Mega Drive systems from countries like Japan. This was costly, and so Taiwanese firms often made their own to capitalise on this shortage. By the time this skill had been mastered, however, much of the world was supplied with the console by official vendors, so most older Mega Drive clones were only sold in regions such as South America.

Dr Super Star Drive

Mega Drive clone made in China by Shenzhen Jichang Elec. Co.

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  DrSUPER Star Drive

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  Back label

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  Internals

Genesis (unknown)

Found in Indonesia. A Japanese-style Mega Drive with "Genesis" labeled on top.

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Mega 16 Plus

Mega Drive with a different label. The underside calls it a Dr. Super Star Drive, however it has a different to the console described above.

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  Mega 16 Plus

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  PCB

Mega Drive (Kinyo)

Bog standard Mega Drive clone by Kinyo. Found in South America.

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Mega Drive (unknown)

A fairly boring Mega Drive clone which appears from time to time. Shipped with two odd-looking six button controllers and a multicart of some description, and the colours are off.

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Mega Drive (unknown)

Mega Drive with 20 built in games. Found in Indonesia.

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Saga

We have no clue about this one. This 2011 auction from seller dxghunterchen for 1,200 TWD has the title "SAGA 16 bit 電玩 主機 整套 含 ～ 1款卡匣 兩個把手 一個搖桿" and no product description — just the three photos below. It could be just a compilation showing an official Mega Drive with unofficial peripherals in an alternate Macro Drive box, but who knows for certain. The only identifiable peripheral is the HonyU Explorer-I one. The cart shown is Ma Jiang Qing Ren: Ji Ma Jiang Zhi.

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SB-001/Niysa Assai P5

Made by "Family Game" in Taiwan and "Niysa IT Company" in Turkey. Standard Mega Drive clone with Mega CD support, but with no region encoding and a 50-60Hz switch. Despite the box art it is thought to have shipped with fairly standard three button controllers. PAL-B, PAL-D, PAL-I, PAL-N and NTSC variants supposedly exist. Includes built-in DOS-like operating system.

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Siga

Mega Drive with a different label.

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  Siga

Super Creation

An alternative release for the Super Creation listed above. This one shipped with three button turbo controllers.

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Mega Drive 2

From the mid-to-late 90s the Mega Drive template of choice predictably became the cost-reduced Mega Drive 2. Similar to before clones of this system became popular in South America, although there was also a following in parts of Asia. The simplified design of the Mega Drive 2 makes it very easy to reproduce - the number of Mega Drive 2 clones worldwide far exceeds that of other Sega clones, and was even the basis for some Famiclones.

Genesis

These "hybrid" Mega Drive 2s borrowing elements from both the Japanese and North American releases of the console are relatively common in South America. They shipped in Genesis 2 boxes (based on the Canadian packaging), however the instruction manuals call the system "Mega Drive 2".

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Macro Drive

Originates from Taiwan.

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Mega Drive 2 (Kontorland)

Asian born clone found in South America. Shipped with PlayStation-style controllers.

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  Mega Drive 2 clone by Kontorland

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Mega Drive 2 (MG Electronics Industry Co., Ltd)

Chinese-born Mega Drive 2 clone with slight colour differences. The board is dated 19th October 2001.

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Mega Drive 2 (Neon)

Neon also made Mega Drive controllers. The box is similar to a North American Genesis model 2.

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Mega Drive 2 (Sego)

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Mega Drive 2 (unknown)

This is perhaps the mother of all Mega Drive 2 clones. Not only is it fairly common, it sticks as closely as possible to the original Mega Drive 2 design so is very difficult to spot. Although build quality (and weight) are an obvious giveaway to its illegitimacy, from still photographs the situation is far less clear, as the box design mimicks that of the rarely seen West Asian variety, seen prodominently in Turkey and the Gulf states (Japanese-style console, European-style packaging).

Sega opted mainly for boxes that flipped open from the top, while typically these clones open from the side. Predictably it is frequently confused with the real thing, made worse by the fact it is likely more common than its official counterparts

Both one and two control pad variants exist. It is only assumed at this stage that they were both made by the same company. Sightings suggest they may only accept RF video connectors, but may support the Sega Mega-CD.

• MD2Clone9 Box Front.jpg
• MD2Clone23 MD Box Front.jpg

Mega Drive 2 (unknown)

Similar to the above. Copied European packaging showing a Japanese-style system, however here all Sega branding is removed. Common in Russia.

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Mega Drive 2 (Unknown)

This one is from South America and it's very telling of the state of the unlicensed game market in the region - this one is labeled "NEW 2009" so there must still be a demand for these things.

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Mega Drive 2 (unknown)

These Mega Drive 2s from Chinese based, Dubai owned Gigatron were produced with minimal changes and distributed in the Middle East in the mid-2000s the present day. Each one comes with a "132-in-1" multicart (later raised to 368) (which of course has far fewer than the advertised number of games).

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  2005 model

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  2006 model

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  2007 model

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  2008 model

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  2010 model

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  2011 model

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  2011 model

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  398-in-1 2011 model

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  2012 model

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  2015 model

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Mega Drive 2 (unknown)

North Amercan-style packaging, but same knock-off Japanese console you'll find elsewhere. Some adopt the North American colour scheme however.

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Mega Drive 2 (unknown)

Here an 368-in-1 multicart gets a mention on the system itself.

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Mega Drive 2 (unknown)

A close copy of the "green" Asian model, but with a number of subtle differences.

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Mega Drive 2 (unknown)

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Mega Drive 2 (unknown)

More Chinese-built Arab-sold Mega Drive 2s. Poor picture quality makes it difficult to deduce where they're from - could be StarGame, could be Gigatron. Other colours exist.

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  2010

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  2011

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  2012

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  2012

Mega Game II

Apparently released exclusively in Portugal, this is a clone of the Portuguese Mega Drive II. It has been suggested that Sega's official distributor in the region, Ecoplay, might have had something to do with this system...Totally False...Ecoplay never had involvement in the manufacturing of Mega Drive Clones...Ecoplay was since the first day a licensed Sega console distributor only working with official Sega Hardware and Software...

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Sedaa

Spotted in South America although likely originates from Taiwan or China.

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Star Drive 2

A clone from Asia. Three variants exist - whether they were produced by the same company has not been determined.

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  Star Drive 2

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  Star Drive 2 by Dolphin

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  (has expansion port)

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Super Alpha II

Found in Taiwan, model number SB-003. This one has a slightly different shell and is more akin to the European model.

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Genesis 3

Despite its late arrival, the redesigned and further cost-reduced Genesis 3 unit became a popular item in South America... despite not being officially released there. Though some were imported from North America, many more clone consoles were manufactured on the cheap (the Mega 3 for example is extremely common in Argentina). Unlicensed Genesis 3 clones were manufactured well into the 2000s and may still be in production to this day.

16 Bits ("The Alien System")

A Genesis 3 without any Genesis 3 branding, also sold in South America.

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Century Japan

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Dream Play

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Genesis 3 (16-Bit")

Genesis 3 minus Sega branding, sold in South America.

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Genesis 3 (unknown)

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Genesis 3 (unknown)

There are many Genesis 3 clones, all with subtle changes.

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"Mini" Mega Drive 2

The origins of this smaller Mega Drive 2 are currently unknown. Many unlicensed Mega Drives from the 2000s opt for this shell over the full size Mega Drive 2, although it was never used by any official Sega consoles. Interestingly, like its full size counterpart, both the "push down" and "horizontal" power switches were brought forward for unexplained reasons.

Dex

DX-166 by Dexkee Elec-Technology Co., Ltd.

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Magic Drive 2

The name "Magic Drive" has been used by several clone consoles (and the Super Magic Drive peripheral). This may or may not be related to some of them.

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MD2 Compact

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Unknown

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Others

"16 Bit Game"

Dodgy looking Mega Drive clone from China, complete with crazy light gun.

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16 Bit TV Game

Also from China, two clones by a company known as "Gap International Limited". One looks like a Mega Drive 2 in white, the other is completely new. Model numbers GA-16B1 and GA-16B2 respectively.

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  GA-16B1

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  GA-16B2

Mega Drive III

Sega Mega Drive clone with custom body shape

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  Mega Drive III

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  Control buttons

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  Mega Drive III top

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  Mega Drive III bottom

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  Mega Drive III Mainboard PCB

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  Mega Drive III with cartridge

Unsorted

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