Difference between revisions of "Mega-Tech System"

From Sega Retro

(totally rewrote the whole article, correcting errors and adding additional info; fixed the Sonic links (those pages are about the Mega Play versions))
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[[Image:MegaTech.jpg|thumb|right|160px|Sega MegaTech arcade machine.]]
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[[Image:MegaTech.jpg|thumb|right|160px|Sega Mega-Tech arcade machine.]]
The '''Mega-Tech''' was an arcade cabinet that featured ten interchangeable Mega Drive or Master System games in an arcade cabinet, similar to Nintendo's PlayChoice-10 as coins can be inserted to increase gameplay time.  
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The '''Mega-Tech''' was an arcade cabinet released by Sega in Europe in 1989 based on the [[Sega Mega Drive|Mega Drive]] home console hardware. Its design was similar to Nintendo's PlayChoice-10: players chose games from a menu of eight titles, with credits buying more play time (usually 1 minute per credit) rather than extra lives or continues; reaching a game over screen did not end the play session, and players could start over or choose a different game as long as there was some play time remaining. The unit featured eight internal cartridge slots, allowing the arcade operator to change what games were available to play.
  
It was released in Europe in 1989 with some of the best titles at the time, such as ''[[Thunder Force II]]'', ''[[Altered Beast]]'', ''[[Tetris]]'', ''[[Last Battle]]'', ''[[Space Harrier II]]'', and ''[[Golden Axe]]''. Other popular Mega Drive games became available as time passed, such as ''[[sonic:Sonic the Hedgehog (arcade game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' and ''[[sonic:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (arcade game)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]''. Eventually a few [[Master System]] games were ported, but the amount of games ported was small.
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The cabinet housed two monitors; the game itself ran on the bottom screen while the top screen displayed information including gameplay time remaining (which flashed green when time runs short), the list of games available, gameplay instructions, and a short synopsis of each game.
  
The arcade cabinet housed two monitors, the bottom screen is where the gameplay was displayed, the top screen housed information, such as Gameplay time remaining (which flashes green when time runs short), the game list, instructions, and a short synopsis of each game.
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The Mega-Tech launched with some of the best titles available at the time, including ''[[Thunder Force II]]'', ''[[Altered Beast]]'', ''[[Tetris]]'', ''[[Last Battle]]'', ''[[Space Harrier II]]'', and ''[[Golden Axe]]''. Other popular Mega Drive games became available as time passed, such as ''[[sonic:Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' and ''[[sonic:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]''. Eventually a few [[Master System]] games were ported, but the amount of games ported was small. Apart from providing additional data for the top screen the games were unchanged from the original releases, so cheats still worked and extra lives or continues could be collected during play.
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The Mega-Tech was succeeded by the [[Mega Play]], which reduced the game menu from eight to four titles and changed to a more standard system of credits buying lives or continues rather than time. Mega Play games were heavily modified due to this, with cheats and extra lives no longer being available.
  
 
==Hardware==
 
==Hardware==
[[Image:Megatech2.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Sega MegaTech hardware.]]
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[[Image:Megatech2.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Sega Mega-Tech hardware.]]
It was basically a Mega Drive with timer control for arcade operations but lacked expansion hardware which would allow for connectivity to the [[32X]] and [[Mega CD]]. The games supplied were stored in a cartridge which was the same shape used in Japan. The labels were silver and red and only had "Mega-Tech" printed on them. These cartridges are not compatible with a regular Mega Drive/Genesis due to the extra information on them stored to run the second monitor, and differences in the length of the edge connector, number of pins, pinouts, and spacing. 8 Mega-Tech game cartridge ports were stored on the system.
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The Mega-Tech hardware is a Mega Drive modified to include a timer control for arcade operations. It lacks expansion hardware support and so cannot be connected to the [[32X]] and [[Mega CD]]. The board features eight cartridge ports. The games supplied used the Japanese cartridge design. The labels were silver and red and only had "Mega-Tech" printed on them. Standard Mega Drive games do not work with the Mega-Tech hardware, and its cartridges are not compatible with other Mega Drive designs due to the extra information on them stored to run the second monitor, and differences in the length of the edge connector, number of pins, pinouts, and spacing.
 
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{{-}}
 
==Games==
 
==Games==
 
Games released for Mega-Tech hardware include:
 
Games released for Mega-Tech hardware include:
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*''[[Shadow Dancer]]''
 
*''[[Shadow Dancer]]''
 
*''[[Shinobi]]'' (SMS)
 
*''[[Shinobi]]'' (SMS)
*''[[sonic:Sonic the Hedgehog (arcade game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'
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*''[[sonic:Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''
*''[[sonic:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (arcade game)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]''
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*''[[sonic:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]''
 
*''[[Space Harrier II]]''
 
*''[[Space Harrier II]]''
 
*''[[Streets of Rage]]''
 
*''[[Streets of Rage]]''

Revision as of 05:43, 28 June 2010

Sega Mega-Tech arcade machine.

The Mega-Tech was an arcade cabinet released by Sega in Europe in 1989 based on the Mega Drive home console hardware. Its design was similar to Nintendo's PlayChoice-10: players chose games from a menu of eight titles, with credits buying more play time (usually 1 minute per credit) rather than extra lives or continues; reaching a game over screen did not end the play session, and players could start over or choose a different game as long as there was some play time remaining. The unit featured eight internal cartridge slots, allowing the arcade operator to change what games were available to play.

The cabinet housed two monitors; the game itself ran on the bottom screen while the top screen displayed information including gameplay time remaining (which flashed green when time runs short), the list of games available, gameplay instructions, and a short synopsis of each game.

The Mega-Tech launched with some of the best titles available at the time, including Thunder Force II, Altered Beast, Tetris, Last Battle, Space Harrier II, and Golden Axe. Other popular Mega Drive games became available as time passed, such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Eventually a few Master System games were ported, but the amount of games ported was small. Apart from providing additional data for the top screen the games were unchanged from the original releases, so cheats still worked and extra lives or continues could be collected during play.

The Mega-Tech was succeeded by the Mega Play, which reduced the game menu from eight to four titles and changed to a more standard system of credits buying lives or continues rather than time. Mega Play games were heavily modified due to this, with cheats and extra lives no longer being available.

Hardware

Sega Mega-Tech hardware.

The Mega-Tech hardware is a Mega Drive modified to include a timer control for arcade operations. It lacks expansion hardware support and so cannot be connected to the 32X and Mega CD. The board features eight cartridge ports. The games supplied used the Japanese cartridge design. The labels were silver and red and only had "Mega-Tech" printed on them. Standard Mega Drive games do not work with the Mega-Tech hardware, and its cartridges are not compatible with other Mega Drive designs due to the extra information on them stored to run the second monitor, and differences in the length of the edge connector, number of pins, pinouts, and spacing.

Games

Games released for Mega-Tech hardware include:


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