Genesis 3
From Sega Retro
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| Genesis 3 | ||||||||||
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| Manufacturer: Majesco | ||||||||||
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The Genesis 3 console is a bargain-basement model of the Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis in North America) that was sold under license by Majesco in 1998. It is often derisively called "the hockey puck" due to its rather squat appearance and limited capabilities (as compared to earlier models). No official variants of the Genesis 3 were released outside of North America, as Majesco did not have the rights to sell Sega consoles outside that region. It originally retailed at $49.95, though the price quickly dropped to as low as $19.99.
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Hardware
The redesigned console is extremely light in comparison to its earlier counterparts. With two gamepads plugged in the console will be outweighed so greater care must be taken when used.
The Genesis 3 lacks the expansion port of its predecessors; hence, the Sega Mega-CD is incompatible with it. The vast majority of Mega Drive games work with the Genesis 3. The few things that do not work involve hardware attachments like the Sega 32X and the Master System Converter and specific games that use external processors such as Virtua Racing. However, it has been shown that with minimal modification, a Genesis 3 can use the 32X, Virtua Racing, and the Master System Converter.
Two revisions of the Genesis 3 were shipped. The first revision (VA1) is essentially a Genesis 2 VA4 in a smaller package. The second revision (VA2) uses a new ASIC that has some minor changes, including fixing a long-standing bug that prevented the "TAS" instruction from working correctly. Some games that incorrectly used the "TAS" instruction, such as Gargoyles, will not function correctly on a Genesis 3 VA2, since the instruction now functions correctly instead of simply doing nothing.
The cartridge slot on the Genesis 3 is a slightly different shape than that of previous versions, which allows Japanese Mega Drive games to be played on the system, assuming that the games did not check the system's region code itself.
The console also shipped with six button controllers, one of the only official North American releases to do so (along with the CDX). Most consoles shipped with the 6 Button Arcade Pad (MK-1470), but some consoles shipped with a different MK-1470 controller.
Numerous unofficial models were released in South America.
Patents
USD405476
Physical scans
| Mega Drive, US |
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   Cover
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References