Overview
- Known As
- Mega Drive • MD • SEGA Mega Drive (Genesis)
- Company
- SEGA
- Launched
- 29th Oct 1988
- Type
- Console
- Wikipedia
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Genesis
Latest Reviews of Mega Drive Games
Review DaemonClaw: Origins of Nnar (Mega Drive) - An Old-School Action Romp With Surprising Depth
It will get its claws into you
Review ZPF (Mega Drive) - A Wild Fantasy Shmup That Lights Up Sega's 16-Bit System
The 68000's heart really is on fire
Review P-47 II MD (Mega Drive) - 35 Years Later, Jaleco's Shmup Finally Takes To The Skies
...but was it worth the wait?
Popular Mega Drive Games
Latest Mega Drive News
"It is still wild to think that we made all of this together across different continents"
Raise your spirits with this unofficial ROM hack!
And fresh artwork from 16 contemporary artists
News "I'm Interested" - Yuzo Koshiro Is Keen On Bringing Earthion To Neo Geo
Could it join Zero Wing on SNK's system?
News GG Aleste 3 Mega Drive Fan Port Video Removed Following Social Media Intervention From M2 Rep
'It's an extremely difficult matter, but I'll try to find a compromise'
Former Sega Champ and Tiertex tester Dan Curley tells all
"Another great thing is the relative ease of producing new cartridges"
News New FPGA Model 1 Emulator Core Runs Sega's Virtua Racing With Remarkable Precision
Core replicates 99% of original hardware speed
"I borrowed $5,000 from a friend so I could survive"
News Mr. Nutz Is The Next 16-Bit Character To Get A Physical Resurrection On SNES And Genesis
Mr. Nutz: Hoppin' Mad makes its console debut after over 30 years
"Sacrifices and cuts will have to be made"
News Japan-Exclusive Genesis RPG 'Surging Aura' Has Finally Been Translated Into English And Korean
Patch also fixes a key bug from the original game
News This Might Be The Closest We'll Get To Sega Rally On Genesis
"Help, my Sega Mega Drive is out of control!"
Related Hardware
List of hardware items (add-ons?)
Where To Buy
List of places to buy this system
About
Sega's 8-bit Master System was a massive success in Europe, putting even the mighty NES in the shade, but in the rest of the world it was largely ignored. When Sega decided the produce the 16-bit Mega Drive, it knew that a greater level of success was required. The console was launched in Japan in the late '80s but failed to make much of an impression, however when the US release took place (re-branded as the Genesis) it was a very different story. With a combination of effective marketing and software that was tailored for American gamers, Sega managed to swallow up a massive portion of the US videogame market in the space of a year.
When the SNES launched in the West a titanic struggle began between Sega and Nintendo. This was repeated around the globe, with both companies earning millions as a result.
Thanks to a range of ill-advised add-ons such as the Mega CD and 32X, Sega's appeal was lessened slightly and by the time the 32-bit Saturn was launched, many fans had turned away from the company. Therefore the Mega Drive / Genesis arguably represents Sega's finest hour.
Read our Sega Mega Drive hardware focus