Sega Mega Drive games

Content

TODO: merge/split/whatever Sega Mega Drive cartridges

Marketing

Packaging

Mega Drive game packaging built one what was seen with the Sega Master System, bundling games in plastic "clamshell" boxes, which as well as protecting the cartridge, could house a manual and other documents if required. These boxes use the same dimensions as Western Master System games, however are slightly tweaked so as to hold the differently sized standard Mega Drive cartridge shape, and were used in all regions, including Japan, South Korea and the "Asian" region whose Master System titles were shipped in cardboard boxes.

While the use of plastic packaging was nothing new for Sega, it became something of a selling point with the Mega Drive, as Nintendo and its rival consoles favoured cardboard until the arrival of the Nintendo GameCube in 2001. Electronic Arts adopted similar packaging for its games, albeit customised for their bespoke cartridge shells.

North America

The release of the North American Mega Drive (Genesis) console in the August of 1989 brought with it a uniform packaging design similar to the Master System - a grey grid, this time on a black background (versus the grey-on-white seen in the earlier console). Unlike the early days of the Master System, detailed artwork was allowed to decorate the front of boxes, and game logos were usually used in place of the standard serif typeface used across Master System releases.

North America was arguably one of the least consistent regions in terms of packaging designs, however, as third-party publishers rarely stuck to Sega's packaging design philosophies in the beginning, with companies such as Electronic Arts and Renovation Products opting to use their own styles. Unlicensed publishers, such as Accolade's Ballistic label, also continued to use cardboard.

In 1993 to coincide with the redesigned Mega Drive 2 console, Sega radically changed its game packaging, opting for a red, diagonal striped design. This was more widely adopted by third-party publishers, though again it was not universal and many exhibit slight alterations to Sega's template.

Towards the end of 1994 Sega of America decided to start cutting costs, going back to flimsy cardboard boxes. Most third-party publishers, such as EA and Acclaim Entertainment, continued to use plastic.

Europe

Europe initially adopted a similar style to North America for its packaging, and while Sega were unable to enforce standards for third-party publishers, companies in this region were far more willing to copy Sega's designs to bring some consistency to the library.

Like North America, Sega Europe radically overhauled its packaging at some point in early 1994, using a blue design.

Brazil

Brazil initially used cardboard before switching to plastic in 199x.

Lists

• List of Mega Drive games
  • List of Mega Drive games in Japan
  • List of Mega Drive games in the United States
  • List of Mega Drive games in the United Kingdom
  • List of Mega Drive games in France
  • List of Mega Drive games in Germany
  • List of Mega Drive games in Spain
  • List of Mega Drive games in Australia
  • List of Mega Drive games in Brazil
• List of cardboard box Mega Drive games

Launch titles

Japan

• Space Harrier II
• Super Thunder Blade

North America

• Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
• Altered Beast
• Last Battle
• Space Harrier II
• Thunder Force II
• Tommy Lasorda Baseball

Europe

• Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
• Altered Beast
• Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf
• Forgotten Worlds
• Ghouls'n Ghosts
• Golden Axe
• Last Battle
• Mystic Defender
• Rambo III
• Revenge of Shinobi
• Space Harrier II
• Super Hang-On
• Super League Baseball
• Super Thunder Blade
• Thunder Force II
• Truxton
• World Cup Italia '90
• Zoom!