Megadrive

, Or Mega Drive , or Sega Mega Drive , is a video Game console 16 Bit S of the Japanese constructor Sega, left in 1988 with the Japan, 1989 in North America (under the name of Sega Genesis ) and 1990 in Europe.

History

At this time, Nintendo holds 95% of the North-American market and 92% of the market of the Video game Japanese. The Master System is not essential in the most carrying markets on this moment, which will make a success of partly Megadrive.

Genesis

The plays of arcade System 16 strongly contributing to the popularity of Sega, Hayao Nakayama, then chairman of Sega, made the decision to create a new system 16 bits. Finally, three new terminals of arcade were created: Megatech, Megaplay, and System C. Each play developed for these three systems functioned with Megadrive.

The first name that Sega gave to this console was “MK-1601”, but finally, it is the name “Sega Mega Drive” which was retained for the Japan, the Europe, the Asia, and the Australia. In North America, it is the name “Sega Genesis” which was used, because the precedent was already deposited over there.

Exits

In Japan

Sega Megadrive was distributed to Japan starting from the October 29th 1988 for the price of ¥21 000.

In the United States

Sega Megadrive left to the the United States the August 14th 1989 in the towns of New York and Los Angeles, then starting from September 15th of the same year in all the country with a lever and a play included Altered Beast for a selling price of 190$.

In Europe

Sega Megadrive arrives to Europe, twenty-five months after the Japanese exit the November 30th 1990 at the price of £190 to the the United Kingdom. Contrary to Japan where Megadrive pains to be essential, Europe is much more accessible for Sega. The Master System is very already well established there, but especially Nintendo having always scorned this continent, the competition of the BORN is much less strong here. Contrary to its rival, Sega applied to his beginnings a very tolerant policy to the importation, and the European players could very easily play in preview with plays left exclusively to the United States, Megadrive not incorporating any territorial protection, only in Europe, a plastic slightly different on the case with the site from the cartridges, which it was enough to file.

The Sonic revolution

After a beginning rather mitigated, one needed a play for Sega to show the performances of the machine, the independent developers not exploiting them enough. The exit of Sonic the Hedgehog was a true revolution for the mark. Not only it renewed its image, but in more the play in itself the kind renewed. Previously the plays of platform were rather slow, each touched enemy making die the hero. From now on, the play is centered on the speed. Sonic was sold to 4 million specimens, and arrived at the good moment to counter the exit of the response of Nintendo to Sega, the Super Nintendo.

Hazardous choices

Sega did not manage to make evolve/move its range. The Mega-CD, an extension designed to compete with PC Engine in Japan, was a commercial failure. Sega insisted nevertheless with the release of a second version of Mega-CD (Mega-CD2), which was also a failure. Lastly, although Sega projected to replace its Megadrive by the Saturn, an extension halfway between the two was produced: the 32X, produced still-born child, because without future, the eyes of the customers being directed on Saturn.

Sega stopped concentrating on Megadrive in 1996, to devote itself to Saturn. Megadrive relookée, Megadrive 2 was relegated like economic alternative to Saturn. The sale of the console was stopped in 1997.

Majesco Sales obtained a license to manufacture its own version of Megadrive. Genesis 3 was sold in 1997, only on the US market for a price of 50$. This Genesis was sold to 2,5 million specimens. The production and the sale of this third version of Mégadrive were stopped when stocks of cartridges were exhausted.

During its 10 years of career, Megadrive was sold to 28,5 million specimens. 700 plays were produced. It was the greatest success of Sega which will never make a success of again such scores thereafter.

Sales

  • World: 35,0 million units

  • Japan: 3,6 million units

Technical specifications

General specifications

  • principal Processor: Motorola 68000 given rhythm with 7,67 MHz (NTSC)

  • Random access memory: 72 KB

Video

  • video Processor: VDP (derivative of the VDP of Master System, itself derived from the Texas Instruments TMS9918)

  • video Memory: 64 KB
  • Video capacities:
    • Resolution: 320×224 pixels and 320×448,
    • 16 colors per plan on a pallet of 512, is 64 in all
    • 80 sprites of a maximum of 32×32 pixels

Its

  • sound Processors:

    • Zilog Z80 given rhythm to 3,58 MHz (NTSC)
    • Yamaha YM2612 FM given rhythm to 7,67 MHz (NTSC)
    • SN76489 PSG given rhythm to 3,58 MHz (NTSC)
  • sound Memory: 8 K static RAM
  • sound Capacities: 6 votes FM, 1 vote PCM, 3 votes PSG

Media

  • Cartouches Megadrive and Master System (with adapter)

Extensions

  • Joysticks (3 and 6 buttons),

  • multifunction Stickpads arcade
  • Multitap, allowing to connect 4 additional levers
  • Modem (Japan only)
  • Mouse
  • optical Rifle (the To threaten)
  • Possibly a CD reader with the Mega-CD
  • Megadrive 32X

Consoles and others " dérivés"

  • Multi-Mega : a console compact gathering Megadrive and the Mega-CD, can also be used like Baladeur CD.

  • Megadrive of Victor JVC (Sega had sold rights of construction and sale with this company)
  • NOMAD: a portable console able to read almost all the cartouches Megadrive
  • MegaPC: a computer PC builds by IBM or Amstrad (according to processor 286 or 386), compatible with the Megadrive cartouches via an expander card ISA
  • TeraPC de Sega only sold in Japan included/understood a PC 386 and the one megadrive whole in a column PC (www.mo5.com source)

Protection and zoning of the plays

The slightly different cartridges being of form, it is a priori impossible to use a play Japan board on a European console . But there exists a notorious easy way: it is enough to Lime R or to cut out the pieces of plastic which prevent from placing the cartridges (located at the back, on the sides of the site for cartridge). The operation is rather simple and makes it possible to play many plays which never left in Europe.

Another modification of the console (by the installation of switches) makes it possible to launch the plays into 60 Hz (original speed of the Japanese plays, before their transposition in European version into 50 Hz) with a European console.

Very rare plays are protected and cannot be launched on Megadrive European filed, like Aladdin or Thunder Force IV .

Emulation

Megadrive was emulated on several video platforms and game consoles:

See too

Related articles

  • List of plays Megadrive

  • List of plays to the launching of video game consoles

External bond

  • Guardiana.net, database

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