Citizendia
Your Ad Here

Sega Mega Drive / Sega Genesis
Mega Drive Logo (Europe & Australasia)

Genesis Logo (North America)

Mega Drive Logo (Japan)
Sega Mega Drive, European/Australasian (PAL) version.
Manufacturer Sega
Type Video game console
Generation Fourth generation era
First available JP October 29, 1988
NA August 14, 1989
EU November 30, 1990
Discontinued 1997
CPU Motorola 68000
Media ROM cartridge
Online service Sega Meganet, Sega Channel, XBAND
Units sold Worldwide: 29 million[1]
United States: 14 million[2]
Brazil: 2 million[3]
Best-selling game Sonic the Hedgehog 2,
6 million (as of June 2006)[4]
Predecessor Sega Master System
Successor Sega Saturn

The Sega Mega Drive (メガドライブ Mega Doraibu?) is a 16-bit video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988, North America in 1989, and the PAL region in 1990. A console manufacturer is a company that manufactures and distributes Video game consoles It is also known as a first-party Video game publisher. is a multinational Video game Software and Hardware development company and a former Home computer Video games were introduced as a commercial entertainment medium in 1971, becoming the basis for an important entertainment industry in the late 1970s/early 1980s in the United In the History of computer and video games, the fourth generation (more commonly referred to as the 16 bit era) began on October 30, 1987 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The Motorola 68000 is a 16/32-bit CISC Microprocessor core designed and marketed by Freescale Semiconductor (formerly Motorola Semiconductor A ROM cartridge is a removable cartridge that contains ROM devices and commonly Flash memory devices to allow some read-write capability The Sega Meganet was a network service in Japan for people using the Sega Mega Drive. Sega Channel was a project developed by Sega for the 16-bit Sega Genesis console XBAND was an early online console gaming network for SNES and Sega Genesis systems This is a list of Video game consoles and Handheld game consoles that have sold or shipped at least one million units The United States of America —commonly referred to as the |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld This is a list of Video games that have sold or shipped at least one million copies including the top ten best-selling franchises. Sonic the Hedgehog 2, or simply Sonic 2, is a Platform game developed by American studio Sega Technical Institute The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. The is a 32-bit Video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America In the History of computer and video games, the fourth generation (more commonly referred to as the 16 bit era) began on October 30, 1987 is a multinational Video game Software and Hardware development company and a former Home computer For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The PAL region is a Video game publication territory which covers Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and varying European countries Led by Tom Kalinske, it was sold under the name Sega Genesis in North America as Sega was unable to secure legal rights to the Mega Drive name in that region. The Mega Drive was Sega's fifth home console and the successor to the Sega Master System. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986.

The Mega Drive is part of the fourth generation era of consoles, and the first of its generation to achieve notable market share in Europe and North America. In the History of computer and video games, the fourth generation (more commonly referred to as the 16 bit era) began on October 30, 1987 It was a direct competitor of the TurboGrafx-16 (which was released one year earlier) and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (which was released two years later). The, known as TurboGrafx-16 in the USA is a Video game console developed by the Nippon Electric Company (NEC and released in Japan on October The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was The Sega Mega Drive began production in Japan in 1988 and ended with the last new game being released in 2002 in Brazil. [5]

With a lifespan of fourteen years and 29 million units sold, it became Sega's most successful console. What helped it accomplish this were clever marketing in the western world, an image and mascot totally opposite of its competitors, perhaps its unique hardware design and a vast library with many successful games. Although it had its graphical weaknesses compared to the Turbografx-16 and SNES, the powerful 16/32-bit processor was a key in seminal games such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Gunstar Heroes. The, known as TurboGrafx-16 in the USA is a Video game console developed by the Nippon Electric Company (NEC and released in Japan on October The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was is a Platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis system is a Run and gun Video game developed by Treasure Co Ltd and published by Sega.

Today, the console lives on with games being downloadable on newer consoles, fan translations[6] and indie game development. Fan translation refers to the unofficial Translation of various forms of media by fans, usually into a language in which an official translated version is not available Indie games are Video games that are created independently of the financial backing of a large Video game publisher.

Contents

History

Although the Sega Master System was a success in Europe, and later also Brazil, it failed to ignite much interest in the North American or Japanese markets, which, by the mid-to-late 1980s, were both dominated by Nintendo's large market shares. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on [7][8][9] Meanwhile in the arcades, the Sega System 16 had become a success. The following is a list of Arcade system boards released by Sega. Hayao Nakayama, Sega's CEO at the time, decided to make its new home system utilize a similar 16-bit architecture. A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator [10] The final design was eventually also used in the Mega-Tech, Mega-Play and System-C arcade machines. The following is a list of Arcade system boards released by Sega. Any game made for the Mega Drive hardware could easily be ported to these systems. See also Software portability In Computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created [11]

The first name Sega considered for its console was the MK-1601, but it ultimately decided to call it the "Sega Mega Drive". The name was said to represent superiority and speed, with the powerful Motorola 68000 processor in mind. [12] Sega used the name Mega Drive for the Japanese, European, Asian, Australian and Brazilian versions of the console. The North American version went by the name "Genesis" due to a trademark dispute. [13]

Launch

The Mega Drive was released in Japan on October 29, 1988,[14] almost exactly a year after the NEC PC Engine. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 437 - Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, marries Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) is a Japanese multinational IT company headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan. The, known as TurboGrafx-16 in the USA is a Video game console developed by the Nippon Electric Company (NEC and released in Japan on October

In 1987, Sega announced a North American release date for the system (under the name of Sega Genesis) of January 9, 1989. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) [15] Sega initially attempted to partner with Atari Corporation for distribution of the console in the US, but the two could not agree to terms and Sega decided to do it themselves. Atari Corporation was a manufacturer of computers and video game consoles from 1984 to 1996 [16] Sega was not able to meet the initial release date and U.S. sales began on August 14, 1989 in New York City and Los Angeles. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) The City of New York Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The Genesis was released in the rest of North America later that year. [17]

The Sega Pirate, a popular marketing icon for the console in Europe
The Sega Pirate, a popular marketing icon for the console in Europe

The European release was on November 30, 1990. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Following on from the European success of the Sega Master System, the Mega Drive became a very popular console in Europe. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. Unlike in other regions where the NES had been the dominant platform, the Sega Master System was the most popular console in Europe at the time. The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. In the United Kingdom the most well known of Sega's advertising slogans was "To be this good takes AGES, to be this good takes SEGA". Some of these adverts employed adult humour and innuendo with sentences like "The more you play with it, the harder it gets" displayed with an illustration of the waggling of a joystick. [18] A prominent figure in the European marketing was the "Sega Pirate", a talking one-eyed skull that starred in many TV adverts with a generally aggressive and humorous attitude. Since the Mega Drive was already two years old at the release in Europe, the many games available at launch were naturally more in numbers compared to the launches in other regions. The ports of arcade titles like Altered Beast, Golden Axe and Ghouls 'n Ghosts, available in stores at launch, provided a strong image of the console's power to deliver an arcade-like experience . See also Software portability In Computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created Altered Beast (獣王記 Jūōki, literally "Beast King's Chronicle" in Japan) is a 1988 Arcade game developed and manufactured Golden Axe is a side-scrolling arcade Hack and slash game released in 1989 by Sega for the System 16 -B arcade hardware is a Platform game / Run and gun developed by Capcom and released as an Arcade game in 1988 and subsequently ported to a number of other platforms [19] The arrival of Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991 was just as successful as in North America, with the new Sega mascot becoming popular throughout the continent. is a Platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis system [19]

In Brazil, the Mega Drive was released by Tec Toy in 1990, only a year after the Brazilian release of the Sega Master System. Tectoy (known as Tec Toy before late 2007 is a Brazilian Videogame and Electronics company The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. Tec Toy also ran the Internet service Sega Meganet service in Brazil as well as producing games exclusively for the Brazilian market. The Sega Meganet was a network service in Japan for people using the Sega Mega Drive. [20] On December 5, 2007, Tec Toy released a portable version of Mega Drive with 20 built-in games. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [21][22]

Console wars

Main article: Console wars

The Sega Mega Drive initially competed against the aging 8-bit NES, over which it had superior graphics and sound. " Console wars " is a term used to refer to periods of intense competition for market share between Video game console manufacturers The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by Despite this, the Mega Drive was all but ignored in Japan as soon as it was launched. Some positive coverage came out of magazines Famitsu and Beep!, but Sega shipped only 400,000 units in the first year. (formerly Famicom Tsushin) is a Japanese Video game magazine published by Enterbrain Inc [13] In order to sell more units, Sega tried some risky moves, including creating an online banking system and answering machine called the Sega Anser[23] and several peripherals and games. [13] The Mega Drive remained a distant third in Japan behind Nintendo's Super Famicom and NEC's PC-Engine throughout the 16-bit era. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was The, known as TurboGrafx-16 in the USA is a Video game console developed by the Nippon Electric Company (NEC and released in Japan on October [24]

One of Sega's most famous advertisements in North American media was its slogan "Genesis does what Nintendon't", which showcased the graphics advantage that the Genesis held against the aging NES.
One of Sega's most famous advertisements in North American media was its slogan "Genesis does what Nintendon't",[25] which showcased the graphics advantage that the Genesis held against the aging NES. A slogan is a memorable Motto or Phrase used in a Political, commercial, Religious and other context as a repetitive expression of

New Sega of America CEO Michael Katz instituted a two-part approach to build sales in that region. The first part involved a marketing campaign to challenge Nintendo head-on and emphasize the more arcade-like experience available on the Genesis, summarized by the slogan "Genesis does what Nintendon't". [26] The second part, since Nintendo owned the console rights to most arcade games of the time, involved creating a library of instantly-recognizable titles by contracting with celebrities and athletes to produce games using their names and likenesses; Pat Riley Basketball, Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf, James 'Buster' Douglas Knockout Boxing, Joe Montana Football, Tommy Lasorda Baseball, Mario Lemieux Hockey, and Michael Jackson's Moonwalker all stemmed from this initiative. Pat Riley Basketball is an video game which was released for the Sega Genesis and the Sega Master System, and for the Mega Drive in Japan and Europe under Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf is a Golf Video game for the Sega Genesis. Final Blow is a Boxing Arcade game created in 1988 by Taito. The name would remain the same for all ported platforms except Joe Montana Football is an American football Video game featuring Joe Montana, released in 1991. Tommy Lasorda Baseball (released in Europe and Japan as Super League) is a baseball game released for the Sega Mega-Tech arcade system and Michael Jackson's Moonwalker is the name of several Video games created by Sega in 1990 that incorporate the personage of and were co-developed [27][28] Nonetheless, it had a hard time overcoming Nintendo's ubiquitous presence in the consumer's home. [29]

Sega CEO Hayao Nakayama, fearing a second market failure soon after the Master System, hired Tom Kalinske to replace Katz in mid-1990. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. Thomas "Tom" Kalinske is an American businessman best known as the president and CEO of Sega of America from 1990 to 1996 Although Kalinske initially knew little about the video game market, he learned quickly and surrounded himself with industry-savvy advisors. A believer in the "give away the razors to sell the blades" school of marketing, he developed a four-point plan: cut the price of the console; create a US-based team to develop games targeted at the American market; continue and expand the aggressive advertising campaigns; and replace the bundled game with a new title, Sonic The Hedgehog. [29] The Japanese board of directors asked "Are you out of your mind?",[30] but Nakayama approved all four points. Magazines praised Sonic as one of the greatest games yet made, and Sega's console finally took off as customers who had been waiting for the Super NES decided to purchase a Genesis instead. [29] Nintendo's console would debut against an established competitor, while NEC's TurboGrafx-16 was left out and NEC soon pulled out of the market. The, known as TurboGrafx-16 in the USA is a Video game console developed by the Nippon Electric Company (NEC and released in Japan on October [31]

Sega began 1992 with a number of advantages: a 55% to 45% market share over the Super NES, a lower price, and a tenfold advantage in number of games. [32] Sega's advertising continued to position the Genesis as the "cooler" console,[32] and coined the term "Blast Processing" to suggest that the Genesis was capable of handling games with faster motion than the SNES. [33] A Sony focus group found that teenage boys would not admit to owning a Super NES rather than a Genesis. [34] Neither console could maintain a definitive lead in market share for several years.

In Europe, the Mega Drive maintained support through 1998. It outsold all other consoles, including the Sega Saturn, in later years. The is a 32-bit Video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America [14] Brazil also saw success with the Mega Drive, where it held 75% of the market share. [14]

Add-ons

In early 1991, Sega announced the Mega-CD for release in Japan in late 1991 and in North America (as the Sega CD) in 1992. The is an add-on device for the Sega Mega Drive that was released in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan. While the Mega Drive add-on did contain a faster CPU and some enhanced graphics capabilities, the main focus of the device was to expand the size of games: cartridges of the day typically contained 8 to 16 megabits of data, while a CD-ROM disk would hold 640 megabytes (5120 megabits). Sega of Japan, partnering with Sony, refused to consult with Sega's American division until the project was completed—Sega of America had to assemble parts from various "dummy" units to obtain a working prototype. is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with [35] While it became known for several games, such as Sonic CD, the expansion only sold 6 million units worldwide. or simply Sonic CD, is a Platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by a different division at Sega rather than Sonic Team [36]

At June 1994's Consumer Electronics Show, Sega presented the 32X as the "poor man's entry into 'next generation' games. The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES is a Trade show held each January in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is sponsored The Sega 32X ( Japanese: セガ スーパー32X codenamed Project Mars is an add-on for the Sega Mega Drive Video game console by Sega "[37] Although some blame Sega of America for developing this failure,[36] the 32X was originally conceived as an entirely new console by Sega of Japan. [38] Sega of America R&D head Joe Miller convinced Sega of Japan to strengthen the console and convert it into an add-on to the existing Genesis, but they would not make it a competitor to the forthcoming Sega Saturn. The phrase research and development (also R and D or more often R&D) according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers The is a 32-bit Video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America Although this add-on contained two 32-bit CPU chips and a 3D graphics processor, it failed to attract either developers or consumers as the superior Saturn had already been announced for release the next year. Originally released at US$159, Sega dropped the price to $99 in only a few months and ultimately cleared the remaining inventory at $19. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 95;[38] only 200,000 units were sold. [36]

32-bit era and beyond

By the end of 1995, Sega was supporting five different consoles and two add-ons: Saturn, Genesis, Game Gear, Pico, Sega CD, 32X and Master System in some South American markets. The Sega Game Gear is a Handheld game console which was Sega 's response to Nintendo 's Game Boy. The Sega Pico, also known as, was an electronic Toy by Sega. The aim of creating the Pico was to get more young children to use Video game systems As the Saturn was leading Sony's PlayStation in Japan while the Mega Drive was never successful there, Sega of Japan CEO Hayao Nakayama chose to discontinue the Mega Drive. The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console While this made perfect sense for the Japanese market, it was disastrous in North America: the market for Genesis games was much larger than for Saturn, but Sega was left without the inventory or software to meet demand. In comparison, Nintendo concentrated on the 16-bit market and reported the most lucrative holiday season in the industry. "Christmas season" redirects here For other uses see Christmas season (disambiguation. [39] It also undercut the Sega of America executives; CEO Tom Kalinske, who oversaw the rise of the Genesis in 1991, grew uninterested in the business and resigned in mid 1996. [40]

In 1997, Sega licensed the Mega Drive to Majesco so that they could re-release the console. Majesco Entertainment is a Japanese / American Video game publisher founded in 1986. [41] Majesco began re-selling millions of formerly unsold cartridges at a budget price together with the second model of the Genesis, until they later released a third version of it. The last commercially licensed release in North America was Frogger, released in 1998. Frogger is an Arcade game introduced in 1981. It was developed by Konami, and licensed for worldwide distribution by Sega / [42]

The Mega Drive was supported until 1997 in Europe, when Sega announced they were dropping support for it. [14] It was discontinued along with its predecessor, the long-lived Sega Master System, to allow Sega to concentrate on their newer console, the Saturn. The is a 32-bit Video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America The Mega Drive's add-ons, the Mega CD and 32X, were also both discontinued at this point, having been the same general failures they were in the other regions. The is an add-on device for the Sega Mega Drive that was released in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan. The Sega 32X ( Japanese: セガ スーパー32X codenamed Project Mars is an add-on for the Sega Mega Drive Video game console by Sega [36]

On May 22, 2006, Super Fighter Team released Beggar Prince, a game translated from a 1996 Taiwanese original. Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Beggar Prince, originally known as Xin Qigai Wangzi ( Chinese: 新乞丐王子 Hanyu Pinyin: Xīn Qǐgài Wángzǐ Wade-Giles It is the first commercial Sega Mega Drive game since 1998 in the North American market. It was also released worldwide. [43]

Emulation

In 2004, there came a trend toward plug-and-play TV games, and Radica Games released licensed, self-contained versions of the Sega Mega Drive in both North America (as the Play TV Legends Sega Genesis)[44] and Europe (as the Sega Mega Drive 6-in-1 Plug 'n' Play), which contain six popular games in a small control box, with a permanently connected control pad. A TV game is an interactive entertainment device designed for use on a Television set that does not require the use of an actual Video game console for operation Radica Games Limited is a company that produces electronic games It does not have a cartridge slot, and thus is a dedicated console. A dedicated console is a Video game console that is dedicated to a built in game or games and is not equipped for additional games via cartridges or other media [45]

The GameTap subscription gaming service includes a Mega Drive emulator, and has several dozen licensed Mega Drive games in its catalog. GameTap is an American online Video game service by Turner Broadcasting System (TBS [46] The Console Classix subscription gaming service also includes an emulator, and has several hundred Mega Drive games in its catalog. Console Classix is a United States online video game rental subscription service whose niche is in providing console games legally for Emulation on a home computer system [47]

During his keynote speech at the 2006 Game Developers Conference, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced that Sega will make a number of Genesis/Mega Drive titles available to download on the Wii's Virtual Console. Virtual Console, sometimes abbreviated as VC, is a specialized section of the Wii Shop Channel, an online service that allows players to purchase and download [48] These games are now available along with other systems' titles under the Wii's Virtual Console. Virtual Console, sometimes abbreviated as VC, is a specialized section of the Wii Shop Channel, an online service that allows players to purchase and download [48] The 16-bit Sega selections available on the Virtual Console at launch were Altered Beast and Sonic the Hedgehog. Altered Beast (獣王記 Jūōki, literally "Beast King's Chronicle" in Japan) is a 1988 Arcade game developed and manufactured is a Platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis system There are also selected Mega Drive titles on the Xbox 360 such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic 2.

Master System compatibility

Sega Power Base Converter
Sega Power Base Converter

One of the key design features of the console is its backwards compatibility with Sega's previous console, the Sega Master System. In Technology, especially Computing (irrespective of platform a product is said to be backward compatible when it is able to take the place of an older product The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. The 16-bit design is based upon the 8-bit design, albeit enhanced and extended in many areas. In order to achieve backwards compatibility, the Master System's central processor and sound chip (the Zilog Z80[12] and SN76489 respectively) are included in the Mega Drive, and the Mega Drive's Video Display Processor (VDP) is capable of the Master System's VDP's mode 4 (though it cannot run in modes 0, 1, 2, or 3). The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit Microprocessor designed and sold by Zilog from July 1976 onwards

As the cartridge slot is of a different shape, Sega released the Power Base Converter, a separate device that sits between a Master System cartridge and the Mega Drive's cartridge slot. The Power Base Converter does not contain any SMS components, instead functioning as a pass-through device. The converter contains a top slot for cartridge-based games along with a front slot for card-based games, as well as the 3-D glasses adapter. When a Master System game is inserted, the system puts the Z80 in control, leaving the Mega Drive's main 68000 processor idle. [12]

In Japan the device is known as the "Mega Adapter". The PAL variant is called the "Master System Converter" in mainland Europe. [49]

The Power Base Converter is not fully compatible with the redesigned Mega Drive 2. A second version, the "Master System Converter II", was released to address this problem. This second version adapter was produced in far fewer quantities and only released in Europe. [12]

The only game which does not work with this device is F-16 Fighting Falcon. [50]

Peripherals

Original three button joypad with later six button version
Original three button joypad with later six button version

The standard Mega Drive controller features three main buttons and a "start" button usually used for pausing mid-game. The controller itself has a distinctive rounded shape. [51] Sega later released a six-button version which is slightly smaller and features three more face buttons, similar to the design of buttons on arcade fighting games. [51]

The Sega Mega-CD became available in 1991, 1992 and 1993 in Japan, North America, and Europe respectively. The is an add-on device for the Sega Mega Drive that was released in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan. [52][53] It plugs into the side of the Mega Drive and sits underneath the console (later models of the Mega CD sit alongside the console) and provides access to CD games as well as allowing the user to play music CDs. [12]

The Sega 32X allows the user to play technically superior 32-bit games on the Mega Drive. The Sega 32X ( Japanese: セガ スーパー32X codenamed Project Mars is an add-on for the Sega Mega Drive Video game console by Sega It was released in 1994 in Japan and North America and 1995 in Europe. The 32X plugs into the Mega Drive's cartridge slot and the game cartridges are then plugged into the 32X. [12]

Sega Mouse and Sega Mega Mouse
Sega Mouse and Sega Mega Mouse

A number of other peripherals for the Mega Drive were released that add extra functionality. The Menacer Light Gun was developed in response to the Super Scope for the SNES and is only compatible with the Menacer 6-game cartridge and a few other games. The Menacer is a Wireless Lightgun created by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis video game console in 1992, as a response Superscope is also the name of an anamorphic Widescreen process and of an extension Microsoft has added to its DHCP Server The Menacer 6-game cartridge was the title Sega bundled with the Menacer for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. [54] The Sega Mouse and Sega Mega Mouse were also released for the Mega Drive,[55] the latter being available in North America while the other served the Japanese and European markets. A foam-covered bat called the BatterUP and the TeeVGolf golf club were both released for the Mega Drive and SNES and provide support for similar games. [55][56] One of the most unsuccessful peripherals released was the Sega Activator; an octagonal device that lays flat on the floor and reads a gamer's physical movements as he/she would trigger infrared laser beams that translate the movement to react on screen. [57] As well the official Mega Drive peripherals, the console is also compatible with Sega Master System accessories through use of the Power Base Converter. [58][14]

Both Electronic Arts (EA) and Sega released multitaps for the system to allow more than the standard two players to play at once. Multi-tap also refers to a text-entry system for mobile phones [59] Initially, EA's version, the 4-Play, and Sega's adapter, the Team Player, only supported each publisher's own titles. Later games were created to work on both adapters. Codemasters also developed the J-Cart system, providing two extra ports with no extra hardware, although the technology came late in the consoles life and only featured on a few games. Codemasters (earlier known as Code Masters and often nicknamed Codies in magazines is one of the longest running British Video game developers The J-Cart was a special cartridge developed by Codemasters for the Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis console [60]

Technical specifications

Mega Drive 1 mainboard (PAL)
Mega Drive 1 mainboard (PAL)

CPU

Main article: Motorola 68000

The Sega Mega Drive's CPU is a 16/32-bit Motorola 68000[61] which is a 32 bit microprocessor sitting on a 16-bit-wide data bus. PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is a colour -encoding system used in Broadcast television systems in large parts of the world The Motorola 68000 is a 16/32-bit CISC Microprocessor core designed and marketed by Freescale Semiconductor (formerly Motorola Semiconductor The maximum addressable memory is 16 megabytes (the M68000 is located to the left of the picture). A megabyte is a unit of Information or Computer storage equal to either 106 (1000000 Bytes or 220 (1048576 bytes depending on The 68000 Runs at 7. 61 MHz in PAL consoles, 7. 67 MHz in NTSC consoles. [51] The Mega Drive also includes a Zilog Z80 as the sound CPU. The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit Microprocessor designed and sold by Zilog from July 1976 onwards [12]

Video

The Mega Drive has a dedicated VDP (Video Display Processor) for background graphic and sprite control. In Computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names see Synonyms below is a two-dimensional/three-dimensional Image or Animation that This is an improved version of the Sega Master System VDP, which in turn is derived from the Texas Instruments TMS9918. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. The TMS9918 is a Video Display Controller (VDC manuafactured by Texas Instruments. Images can be output at 256 pixels (32 tiles) or 320 pixels (40 tiles) across and 224 scanlines (28 tiles) or 240 scanlines (30 tiles) down. The 240-line resolutions are only used on 50 Hz (i. e. PAL) displays, as the extra lines end up in the overscan of a 60 Hz (NTSC) signal. PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is a colour -encoding system used in Broadcast television systems in large parts of the world Overscan is extra image area around the four edges of a Video image that is not normally seen by the viewer NTSC ( National Television System Committee) is the Analog television system used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Mexico Instead, NTSC games use the 224-line resolution to free up more vertical blanking time to send more updates to the VDP. The vertical blanking interval (VBI also known as the vertical interval or VBLANK, is the time difference between the last line of one frame or field of a Raster Colors are chosen from a total of 512 possible colors; some games used a small amount of flicker to simulate more colors. Graphics consist of up to 80 sprites on screen and 2 background planes. Palettes are stored in color RAM (CRAM) and consist of 16 colors each for a total of 64 colors. [62][59]

Audio

There are two primary sound chips which are both controlled by the Z80; the Yamaha YM2612 Frequency Modulation (FM) chip and the Texas Instruments SN76489 Programmable Sound Generator (PSG) chip. YM2612, aka OPN2, is a six-channel sound synthesizer IC, or Sound chip, produced by Yamaha. The SN76489 Digital Complex Sound Generator (DCSG is a TTL -compatible Programmable Sound Generator chip from Texas Instruments. A Programmable Sound Generator is a Sound chip that generates sound waves by synthesizing multiple basic waveforms and often some kind of noise generator (all controlled [14] The FM sound synthesis IC resembles the Yamaha YM2151 (used in Sega's coin-op machines) and the chips used in Yamaha's synthesizers. The Yamaha YM2151, also known as the OP-M (FM Operator Type-M is a Sound chip in the YM2100 family. There is 8 kilobytes of dedicated sound RAM available to the Z80. A kilobyte (derived from the SI prefix Kilo -, meaning 1000 is a unit of Information or Computer storage equal to either 1024 [62] The Yamaha uses six FM channels, four operators each and runs at 7. 67 MHz (7. 61 MHz in PAL machines). The use of the digitized audio allows for stereo sound and is output only through the headphone jack on model 1 systems and through AV out on model 2 systems along with mono signal. Stereophonic sound, commonly called stereo, is the reproduction of Sound, using two or more independent audio channels through a Symmetrical In Electronics, a jack is generally a Socket (female connector but because the related term Jack plug is often abbreviated to just jack confusion can [12]

Memory

There are 2 KB (KiB) of Boot ROM, which is also known as the "Trademark Security System" (TMSS). A kilobyte (derived from the SI prefix Kilo -, meaning 1000 is a unit of Information or Computer storage equal to either 1024 A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International When the console is started, it checks the game for certain code given to licensed developers. Unlicensed games without the code are thus locked out, but if a game is properly licensed, the ROM will display "Produced by or under license from Sega Enterprises Ltd. "[63]

There are also 64 KB of Main RAM. The Main RAM is part of the M68000 address space (short-word addressing was frequently used. ) 64 KB of Video RAM are also present,[14] which cannot be accessed directly by CPU and must be read and written via the VDP (Video Display Processor). The Secondary RAM, which consists of 8 KB, is part of Z80 address space and is used as Main RAM in Master System compatibility mode. There are also 8 KB of audio RAM. [14]

Inputs and outputs

Two DE-9M (9-pin male D-connectors) on the front of the console are the controller input ports. The D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of Electrical connector used particularly in Computers Calling them "subminiature" was appropriate The D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of Electrical connector used particularly in Computers Calling them "subminiature" was appropriate [59] The EXT input port is a DE-9F (9-pin female D-connector) that was used with the Meganet modem peripheral, released only in Japan. The Sega Meganet was a network service in Japan for people using the Sega Mega Drive. [59] It exists on all first-model Japanese Mega Drive units, and on early American Genesis and PAL (European, Australasian and Asian) Mega Drive units. Australasia is a Region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring Islands in the Pacific The power input is a positive tip barrel connector that requires 9-10 volts DC, or about 0. A DC connector is an Electrical connector for supplying Direct current ( DC) power The volt (symbol V) is the SI derived unit of electric Potential difference or Electromotive force. Direct current ( DC) is the unidirectional flow of Electric charge. 85-1. 2 A, depending on the model. The ampere, in practice often shortened to amp, (symbol A is a unit of Electric current, or amount of Electric charge per second There is also an Expansion input port which is an Edge connector on the bottom right hand side of the console. An edge connector is the portion of a Printed circuit board consisting of traces leading to the edge of the board that are intended to plug into a matching socket It is used almost exclusively for connection for the Sega Mega-CD, though it was also used for the Sega Genesis 6 Cart Demo Unit (DS-16) in stores. The is an add-on device for the Sega Mega Drive that was released in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan. This port is not present on the Genesis 3 model. [12]

An A/V output, which consists of a DIN connector with composite video, RGB video, and audio outputs, is present on the system. A DIN connector is a connector that was originally standardized by the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN the German national standards organization Composite video is the format of an Analog television (picture only signal before it is combined with a sound signal and modulated onto an RF [12] The Mega Drive and the first model Genesis have an 8-pin DIN socket (same as Sega Master System) which supports mono audio only, but the Mega Drive 2, Multimega, and other models have a 9-pin mini DIN socket with both mono and stereo audio. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986. [12] Stereo audio for the Mega Drive and the first model Genesis were supplied by the headphone jack, which is not present on later models. [12] The RF output is an RCA jack that connects to TV antenna input. An RCA jack, also referred to as a phono connector or CINCH/AV connector, is a type of Electrical connector that is commonly used in the audio/video It exists on original model European and Asian Mega Drive and North American Genesis only; other models must use an external RF modulator which plugs into the A/V output. [12]

Variations

Main article: Variations of the Sega Mega Drive
Sega Wondermega incorporates the Mega Drive and Mega CD in one unit
Sega Wondermega incorporates the Mega Drive and Mega CD in one unit

The Mega Drive quite possibly received more officially licensed variations than any other console. During its lifespan the Sega Mega Drive and Genesis quite possibly received more officially licensed variations than any other console While only one major design revision of the console was created during its lifespan, each region has its own peculiarities and unique items, while other variations were exercises in reducing costs (such as the removal of the little-used 9-pin EXT. port) or expanding the capabilities of the Mega Drive. [12]

The Model MK-1631 (Mega Drive/Genesis 2) does have a Z80 CPU. [64] Depending on the board revision, the system has either a Zilog Z84C00 or a Custom Sega 315-5676 or similar. Because the Z80 is used for sound production by many games, it is a necessary component. [12]

Majesco's Genesis 3 (single-chip and dual-chip versions) retains the Mode 4 support but has the Master System compatibility removed from the bus controller logic. [14] This renders the Power Base Converter or any other adapter useless. 68000 software can still enable and use Mode 4, however. [12]

The most common third-party version of the Mega Drive hardware was the Victor Wondermega, sold in North America as the JVC X'eye. ( usually referred to as JVC, is an International consumer and professional electronics Corporation based in Yokohama, Japan which was founded In addition to having all the functionality of Mega Drive and Mega CD, it could also connect to MIDI devices to synthesize music. MIDI ( Musical Instrument Digital Interface, ˈmɪdi is an industry-standard protocol that enables Electronic musical instruments Computers

See also

References

  1. ^ Orlando, Greg (2007-05-15). is a multinational Video game Software and Hardware development company and a former Home computer The Sega Nomad (Also called Sega Genesis Nomad or just Nomad) was a Handheld game console sold for the North American consumer market Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Console Portraits: A 40-Year Pictorial History of Gaming. Wired News 21. Wired News is an online technology news Website, formerly known as HotWired, that split off from Wired magazine when the Condé Nast Publications. Condé Nast Publications Inc is a worldwide Magazine Publishing company Retrieved on 2008-04-08. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian
  2. ^ Ken Polsson (2008-02-25). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Chronology of Sega Video Games. Retrieved on 2008-04-12. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
  3. ^ Alucard em Quarta-feira (2005-08-31). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne A História do Mega Drive (Portuguese). gamehall. uol. com. br. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of
  4. ^ Boutros, Daniel (2006-08-04). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Sonic the Hedgehog 2. A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games. Gamasutra. Gamasutra is a Web site founded in 1997 for Video game developers It is owned and operated by CMP Media, and acts as the online sister publication to the Retrieved on 2007-10-28. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine
  5. ^ Game Information: Show de Milhão. new. guardiana. net. Retrieved on 2008-04-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
  6. ^ Translations. Romhacking. net. Retrieved on 2008-05-31. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
  7. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 303, 360. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  8. ^ Nintendo Official Magazine Staff (2001). Nintendo Official Magazine - Nintendo's Market Share 1988. Future Publishing, 35.  
  9. ^ Business Week staff (1999). Business Week - Nintendo's Market Share 1990, 60.  
  10. ^ Pettus, Sam (2004-07-07). "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Genesis: A New Beginning. www. sega-16. com. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of
  11. ^ Planet Dreamcast staff. Sega History. http://www.planetdreamcast.com. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved on 2007-10-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Christoph Bolitz. Sega Mega Drive information. www. skillreactor. org. Retrieved on 2008-04-01. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne
  13. ^ a b c Szczepaniak, John (September 2006). Retroinspection: Sega Mega Drive. Imagine Publishing. Imagine Publishing is a UK -based Magazine Publisher, which publishes a number of Videogames, Computing, Creative and Lifestyle Retrieved on 2007-11-08. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i Console Database Staff. Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Console Information. http://www.consoledatabase.com. Console Database/Dale Hansen. Retrieved on 2007-10-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid
  15. ^ Sheff, David (1993). Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children. New York: Random House, 352. ISBN 0-679-40469-4.  
  16. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, p. 401. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  17. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, 404–405. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  18. ^ SEGA'S BIZARRE EARLY 1990S VIZ ADVERTS. http://www.ukresistance.co.uk (2006). Retrieved on 2007-10-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony
  19. ^ a b McFerran, Damien "Damo" (2007). Hardware Focus - Sega Megadrive / Genesis. http://www.vc-reviews.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal.
  20. ^ Tiago Tex Pine (2008-02-26). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed How Piracy can Break an Industry - the Brazilian Case. Retrieved on 2008-04-14. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in
  21. ^ Donald Melanson (2007-11-13). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1002 - English king Ethelred orders the killing of all Danes in England, known today as the St Brazil's TecToy cranks out Mega Drive portable handheld. Retrieved on 2007-01-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor
  22. ^ Luke Plunkett (2007-11-14). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Sega: Brazil Gets This Wonderful Portable Mega Drive. Retrieved on 2007-01-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor
  23. ^ MattG (2005-08-04). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Sega's "Anser" to a Question Nobody Asked. Retrieved on 2008-05-07. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses
  24. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, p. 447. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  25. ^ Orlando, Greg (2007-05-15). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Console Portraits: A 40-Year Pictorial History of Gaming. Wired News 22. Wired News is an online technology news Website, formerly known as HotWired, that split off from Wired magazine when the Condé Nast Publications. Condé Nast Publications Inc is a worldwide Magazine Publishing company Retrieved on 2008-04-08. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 217 - Roman Emperor Caracalla is Assassinated (and succeeded by his Praetorian
  26. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, p. 405. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  27. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 406–408. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  28. ^ Horowitz, Ken (2007-11-20). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 284 - Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor. 762 - Bögü Khan of the Uyghurs, Behind the Design: Joe Montana Football. www. sega-16. com. Retrieved on 2008-05-11. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople
  29. ^ a b c Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 424–431. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  30. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, p. 428. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  31. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 433, 449. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  32. ^ a b Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 434, 448–449. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  33. ^ The Essential 50 Part 28: Sonic the Hedgehog. www. 1up. com. Retrieved on 2008-04-21. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date)
  34. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, p. 449. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  35. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 450–451. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  36. ^ a b c d Blake Snow (2007-07-30). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1419 - First Defenestration of Prague. 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time. GamePro. GamePro is an American Video game magazine published monthly The magazine was first established in Redwood City California in 1989 by Pat Ferrell Retrieved on 2008-05-20. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 325 - The First Council of Nicaea &ndash the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church is held
  37. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, p. 493. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  38. ^ a b Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 493–496. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  39. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 508, 531. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  40. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). Steven L Kent is an American Writer, known for both Video game Journalism and military science fiction novels The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing, pp. 535. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.  
  41. ^ Sega (Majesco) Genesis 3. www. pelikonepeijoonit. net. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of
  42. ^ Game Rankings Recent Releases list of Genesis. CNET Networks, Inc. . Retrieved on 2008-04-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
  43. ^ Beggar Prince. dfg. the-underdogs. info. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of
  44. ^ Play TV Legends Sega Genesis - Radica Games. Retrieved on 2006-09-24. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina.
  45. ^ Miles, Stuart. Sega Mega Drive 6-in-1 Plug and play Review. http://www.gamesdog.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-10-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal.
  46. ^ GameTap Catalogue. http://www.gametap.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-19. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal.
  47. ^ Console Classix Sega Genesis games. Retrieved on 2008-05-15. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the
  48. ^ a b Tor Thorsen. "GDC 06: Revolution to play Genesis, TurboGrafx-16 games", GameSpot, 2007-10-18. GameSpot is a video gaming Website that provides News, Reviews Previews Downloads and other information Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid  
  49. ^ Old-Computers. com Staff. Mega Drive II. http://www.old-computers.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid
  50. ^ Master System Converter Instruction Manual, p. 7.
  51. ^ a b c Michael Drake, Adrian Lees, and Jeffrey Lee. Pico Drive Mega Drive Background. Retrieved on 2008-04-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
  52. ^ Pettus, Sam (2004-07-15). "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Sega CD: A Console too Soon. Sega-16. Retrieved on 2008-03-05. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a
  53. ^ Pettus, Sam. Sega CD info. Retrieved on 2008-04-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
  54. ^ John Scalzo (2007-11-19). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Zap!: A History of Light Gun Games (Special) @ Gaming Target. Retrieved on 2008-04-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
  55. ^ a b Vidgame. net. Sega Genesis Peripherals. Retrieved on 2007-10-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost
  56. ^ Super NES/Famicom Peripherals. Gamers Graveyard. Retrieved on 2007-07-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival
  57. ^ Sega Genesis at Game-Machines.com. www. game-machines. com. Retrieved on 2008-04-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
  58. ^ Barr, Adrienne. Sega Genesis Power Base Converter. Retrieved on 2007-10-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid
  59. ^ a b c d The Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. www. captainwilliams. co. uk. Retrieved on 2008-04-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
  60. ^ "Quadro-Power", Megablast, Joker Verlag, 1994-03-30, p. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet.  29. Retrieved on 2007-05-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the (German) 
  61. ^ MC68000 Documentation. www. ticalc. org. Retrieved on 2008-04-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
  62. ^ a b Genesis Collective FAQ. www. genesiscollective. com. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of
  63. ^ Sega Enterprises Ltd. v. Accolade Inc.. digital-law-online. info (1992-10-20). Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Retrieved on 2008-04-02. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of
  64. ^ Barr, Adrienne. Sega Genesis 2 (MK-1631). wwwVidgame. net. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of

External links

The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic