Difference between revisions of "KW-501"

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The '''KW-501''' is an unlicensed [[Sega Mega Drive]] clone manufactured in Taiwan by King-Wei Electronics, Inc (慶威電子) 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.
 
The '''KW-501''' is an unlicensed [[Sega Mega Drive]] clone manufactured in Taiwan by King-Wei Electronics, Inc (慶威電子) 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.
  
The original version of this console is believed to be the '''Zhan Shen''' (戰神) which was sold in Taiwan, however 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''' (by [[Universe Electronic S.A]]), '''Magic 2''', '''Speedy Boy''', '''MG-2''' (by [[Kinyo]]), '''Super Bitman''' (by [[Bitman]]), '''Power Pegasus''' (by [[Bobmark International]]) and '''KW-II''' and '''Kowi 96<nowiki>'</nowiki>''' (by [[Kowi]]) as well as the '''Super Mega 16 Bit''' by [[Saba]]. A '''King-500''' unit was advertised for sale in Germany{{fileref|ASM DE 1993-09.pdf|page=59}} though it is not known if any were sold.
+
The original version of this console is believed to be the '''Zhan Shen''' (戰神) which was sold in Taiwan, however 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''' (by [[Universe Electronic S.A]]), '''Magic 2''', '''Speedy Boy''', '''MG-2''' (by [[Kinyo]]), '''Super Bitman''' (by [[Bitman]]), '''Power Pegasus''' (by [[Bobmark International]]) and '''KW-II''', '''Kowi 96<nowiki>'</nowiki>''' and '''Kowi 97<nowiki>'</nowiki>''' (by [[Kowi]]) as well as the '''Super Mega 16 Bit''' by [[Saba]]. A '''King-500''' unit was advertised for sale in Germany{{fileref|ASM DE 1993-09.pdf|page=59}} though it is not known if any were sold.
  
 
All KW-501 consoles are presumed to be internally identical, with minor cosmetic alterations and swapped RF adaptors for differing markets.
 
All KW-501 consoles are presumed to be internally identical, with minor cosmetic alterations and swapped RF adaptors for differing markets.
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SpeedyBoy.jpg|Speedy Boy
 
SpeedyBoy.jpg|Speedy Boy
 
MG2.jpg|MG-2
 
MG2.jpg|MG-2
KW501.jpg|KW-501
+
KW501.jpg|Super Mega 16 Bit
 
KW2.jpg|KW-II
 
KW2.jpg|KW-II
 
Kowi96 MD.jpg|Kowi 96'
 
Kowi96 MD.jpg|Kowi 96'
 +
Kowi97 MD.jpg|Kowi 97'
 
SuperBitman.jpg|Super Bitman
 
SuperBitman.jpg|Super Bitman
 
Super Bitman Pad RU.jpg|Super Bitman Pad
 
Super Bitman Pad RU.jpg|Super Bitman Pad
Line 89: Line 90:
 
Power Pegasus Manual PL.jpg|Power Pegasus PL Manual
 
Power Pegasus Manual PL.jpg|Power Pegasus PL Manual
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 +
 +
== Promotional material ==
 +
{{galleryPrintAd
 +
|ASM DE 1993-09.pdf|asm|1993-09|59
 +
}}
 +
{{gitem|Turbo Aito advert.jpg|Turbo Aito advert AR}}
 +
{{gitem|Bitman offer.jpg|Super Bitman advert RU}}
 +
{{gitem|Bitman Poster RU.jpg|Super Bitman advert RU}}
 +
{{galleryPrintAd
 +
|Migr_8_RU.pdf|migr|8|91|
 +
}}
 +
{{galleryPrintAd
 +
|Bitman RU PrintAdvert.jpeg|vd|29|
 +
}}
 +
{{gitem|Power Pegasus TV advert PL 1996.mp4|Power Pegasus as a prize in the quiz show PL}}
  
 
==Physical scans==
 
==Physical scans==
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}}
 
}}
  
== Promotional material ==
+
==External links==
{{galleryPrintAd
 
|ASM DE 1993-09.pdf|asm|1993-09|59
 
}}
 
{{gitem|Turbo Aito advert.jpg|Turbo Aito advert AR}}
 
{{gitem|Bitman offer.jpg|Super Bitman advert RU}}
 
{{gitem|Bitman Poster RU.jpg|Super Bitman advert RU}}
 
{{galleryPrintAd
 
|Migr_8_RU.pdf|migr|8|91|
 
}}
 
{{galleryPrintAd
 
|Bitman RU PrintAdvert.jpeg|vd|29|
 
}}
 
{{gitem|Power Pegasus TV advert PL 1996.mp4|Power Pegasus as a prize in the quiz show PL}}
 
 
 
==External Link==
 
 
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_0g8zHhzd8 Scorpion 16 on CITV's "Bad Influence" (UK)]
 
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_0g8zHhzd8 Scorpion 16 on CITV's "Bad Influence" (UK)]
  

Revision as of 14:03, 21 July 2019

KW501 unknown.jpg
KW-501
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£70.0070.00
Sega Mega Drive
PL
Sega Mega Drive
AR
Sega Mega Drive
BR
Sega Mega Drive
RU
Sega Mega Drive
TW

The KW-501 is an unlicensed Sega Mega Drive clone manufactured in Taiwan by King-Wei Electronics, Inc (慶威電子) 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.

The original version of this console is believed to be the Zhan Shen (戰神) which was sold in Taiwan, however 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 (by Universe Electronic S.A), Magic 2, Speedy Boy, MG-2 (by Kinyo), Super Bitman (by Bitman), Power Pegasus (by Bobmark International) and KW-II, Kowi 96' and Kowi 97' (by Kowi) as well as the Super Mega 16 Bit by Saba. A King-500 unit was advertised for sale in Germany[1] though it is not known if any were sold.

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. Furthermore 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. Some models, such as the Kowi 96' lack this second port.

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

All KW-501s were manufactured in Taiwan for export across the world.

Taiwan

The KW-501 is known to have been released in Taiwan as the Zhan Shen (戰神).

United Kingdom

Under its Scorpion XVI name, the KW-501 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. Some Scorpion XVIs use Aito branding, while others were sold with Magic 2 branding.

Predictably the Scorpion XVI did not see a widespread release, however is known to have retailed at branches of Beatties for about £70.

South America (Argentina)

The majority of KW-501 consoles appear to have been sold in South America in PAL-N regions (and thus were mostly found in Argentina). Consoles are known to have crossed the border into Brazil, but were met with stiff resistence by Tectoy. It is assumed some systems also crossed over to Uruguay and Paraguay, which also use the PAL-N format.

MG-16s are perhaps the most common unit to be seen in Argentina, although systems by Kinyo and Kowi were also sold there. Given the extent of Mega Drive piracy in the region, is difficult to gauge the success of the KW-501 - given the rarity of the Sega Mega-CD and its games, there were likely many cheaper alternatives to this unit.Turbo Aito was distributed by Universe Electronic S.A.

Russia

The KW-501 is known to have been released in Russia in the form of the Super Bitman, a presumed successor to the "Bitman" Famiclone distributed by Bitman in the region. Similar to the above it was likely undercut by cheaper Mega Drive clones.There was also a version modeled on Songa II

Poland,Bosnia,Serbia and Montenegro

In these countries the KW-501 was released as the Power Pegasus, a "successor" to the Pegasus console, a popular Famiclone found in the region. In Poland was published by Bobmark International for Christmas 1995. The company probably got permission to promote the console from Sega , because it was a distributor of Sega in Poland. Using the well-known brand Pegasus was supposed to attract to Sega , players who played on 8 bit famiclone.There are also rumors that around 1996, the console appeared in Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro.

In Serbia and Montenegro, Saba was another available console.[2]

Magazine articles

Main article: KW-501/Magazine articles.

Photo gallery

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Aktueller Software Markt (DE) #1993-09: "September 1993" (1993-08-09)
Logo-pdf.svg
Turbo Aito advert AR
Bitman offer.jpg
Super Bitman advert RU
Bitman offer.jpg
Bitman Poster RU.jpg
Super Bitman advert RU
Bitman Poster RU.jpg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Magazina Igrushek (RU) #8: "4/1996" (1996-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Bitman RU PrintAdvert.jpeg
Print advert in Velikiy Drakon (RU) #29 (1996-12-01)
Bitman RU PrintAdvert.jpeg
Power Pegasus as a prize in the quiz show PL

Physical scans

Mega Drive, (戰神)
KW501 MD Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngKW501 MD Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (Scorpion XVI)
ScorpionXVI MD Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (MG-16)
MG16 MD Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (Magic 2)
Magic2 MD Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (Magic 2 alt)
MD Clone Magic 2 Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (Speedy Boy)

Mega Drive, (MG-2)

Mega Drive, (Super Mega 16 Bit)
SuperMega16Bit MD Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (KW-II)
KW2 MD Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngKW2 MD Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (KW-II) (Dual System)
KW2 MD Box Front Alt.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (Kowi 96')
Kowi96 MD Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (Super Bitman)
SuperBitman MD RU Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngMD Super Bitman.jpg
Cover
Super Bitman KW-501 Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, (Power Pegasus)
PowerPegasus MD Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngPowerPegasus MD Box Front.jpg
Power Pegasus Box Bottom.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, (Aito)
Aito MD Box Front.jpg
Cover

External links

References


Unlicensed Mega Drive clones
Clone consoles
Mega Drive | Mega Drive 2 | Genesis 3 | "Mini" models | "PlayStation" models | Keyboard models | Famiclone models | VCD/DVD players | Others


Mega Drive Mega Drive 2 Genesis 3
AT-168 | FR-302 | High Quality | HK-986 | KW-500 | Mega-Ken | Pro 16 Bit | Super Drive Extreme Land Mega Drive 2 | Game Drive 2 | Liko BBG-688 | Mega Drive II (StarGame) | Mega Drive 4 | Mondial Drive II | New Star 2 | Star Drive 2 | Super Drive | Super Mega Driver | ZW-162J | ZW-165A Game Joy | Mega Drive Junior | Sponge | ZW-2000
Other designs
1990s AX-660 | AX-990 | BBG 168 | BBG 188 | EZcom | Game VCD | KW-501 | KW-502 | KW-503 | KW-504 | KW-505 | Megavision | Modern Mate | New 16 Bit | Power Magicom | Super Alpha II | Super 16 Bit
2000s C-11 | Car Game | CyberShell | CyberSmart | Dream X | Dual Action | e-time Game Play | GamBrothers | GN Twin | GS-200 | FC3 Plus | Kid Box | Kombat 16 | Magistr 16 | Neo-16 | Noritul FX-16 | Premier | RetroN 3 | Sega Driver | Sega Millenium | TV Pump | ZW-166A | ZW-1688 | ZW-16DC | ZW-16P3 | ZW-16XB | ZW-163 | ZW-167 | ZW-169 | ZW-V21
2010s 16 Bit Compact MD HDMI | Fei Hao HD Retro Game | Hamy SD | Hamy 4 | HD Game System | MD Compact | MegaRetroN HD | Mega Sg | Minigen | Minigen HD | PAP1000 | RetroN 5 | Super Retro Trio | Super Retro Trio Plus
2020s 2E Game Console 16 bit | Dendy Nimbus | Dendy Retro | Dendy Smart | Hamy 5 | MixHD | Nimbus Smart | Polymega | RetroN 3 HD | SG800
Portables
Cartridge-based 16 Bit Pocket MD | Advance Digitals | DVTech Discovery | ES-2016 | HG-806 | Mega Drive Portable | MDPortable | One Station | Pocket MD | PXP Slim Station | RetroGen | ZW-16M
Emulator-based !QU | Dinax Pixel Games | eMote | EXEQ | Favorite G18 | Game King A-330 | Game Station A-320 | JXD S7300B | Sameo | SD Portable
Clone console "families"
Data Frog | Game-In | Game Box | Game Stick | Magic Drive | Magistr Drive | Maniac Drive | Orbita OT-TYG | Retro Genesis | Super Drive | Super Console X | Titan | Mega Dream | SZGV | V-Com