Mega Modem
From Sega Retro
Mega Modem | |||||||||||||||
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Made for: Sega Mega Drive | |||||||||||||||
Manufacturer: Sega | |||||||||||||||
Type: Network tool | |||||||||||||||
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Mega Modem (メガモデム) is a modem for the Sega Mega Drive released in 1990 exclusively in Japan. It allows a Mega Drive owner to connect their console to the Internet through services provided by Sega. Ultimately, three services made use of the modem: the Mega Anser, Sega Meganet, and Sansan (there have been other banking services: Naisu-kun Mini and Osaka Bank My Line; and Sumisei Home Tanmatsu, which appears to be a life insurance system — whether or not they use Mega Anser is unconfirmed).
Contents
Hardware
The modem connects to the back of a Mega Drive through the third DE-9 expansion port; consequently, it will only connect to a Model 1 Mega Drive. Furthermore, two models of the Mega Modem are known to exist: one that connects to the Internet through a phone line (which was sold both standalone and with the Meganet's Sega Game Library cartridge) and one that connects through an RS232C cable built into the unit.
Compatibility
- Advanced Daisenryaku: Deutsch Dengeki Sakusen (1991)
- Cyberball (1990)
- Go Net (1992)
- Mega Anser (1990)
- Naisu-kun Mini (199x)
- Nikkan Sports Pro Yakyuu VAN (1991)
- Osaka Ginkou no Home Banking Service My Line (199x)
- Sansan (1994)
- Sega Game Toshokan (1990)
- Shikinjoh (1991)
- Sumisei Home Tanmatsu (1991)
- Tel Tel Mahjong (1990)
- Tel Tel Stadium (1990)
History
TeleGenesis Modem
A localised variant of the Mega Modem, renamed TeleGenesis Modem was demonstrated at Summer CES 1989 alongside the debut of the US Sega Genesis. Originally set to debut during the "first few months of 1990"[2], the device was pushed back to July 1990 and given a price tag of around $100[3].
While the accessory was thought to be the same as its Japanese counterpart, it was marketed as offering competitive online play across towns and cities nationwide[4] rather than something akin to Sega Meganet. On display at Summer CES was a live demonstration of (the unreleased) TeleGenesis Baseball, and Spectrum HoloByte suggested their (also unreleased) conversions of Vette![5] and Falcon[6] would use the perihperal. Cyberball and Battling Worlds were then announced as compatible games at Winter CES 1990[7].
However, Sega withheld selling the TeleGenesis Modem until "quality modem-based entertainment software" was available in the region[8], which presumably never occurred. By the time of Japanese launch in November, Sega of America were still undecided as to whether to press ahead with a localised variant[9].
The concept of playing video games competitively over the internet did not become a mainstream feature of gaming until well into the 2000s.
Magazine articles
- Main article: Mega Modem/Magazine articles.
Physical scans
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/md/modem.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-01-10 09:02)
- ↑ Computer Entertainer, "August 1989" (US; 1989-08-18), page 1
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "April 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 73
- ↑ GamePro, "September/October 1989" (US; 1989-xx-xx), page 87
- ↑ Computer Gaming World, "xxxx xxxx" (US; xxxx-xx-xx), page 42
- ↑ Computer Entertainer, "June 1989" (US; 1989-06-19), page 11
- ↑ Computer Entertainer, "January 1990" (US; 1990-01-20), page 15
- ↑ Sega Visions, "October/November 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 14
- ↑ GamePro, "January 1991" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 22