Photo: Evan-Amos, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The Sega Mega Drive, sold in North America as the Genesis, is Sega's 16-bit home console released in Japan in 1988.
Key facts
| Manufacturer | Sega |
|---|---|
| Release | Japan 1988, North America 1989 (as Genesis), Europe 1990 |
| Generation | 4th (16-bit) |
| CPU | Motorola 68000 (~7.6 MHz) + Zilog Z80 |
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| Units sold (approx.) | ~30 million |
About the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis
Sega positioned the Genesis as a faster, more mature alternative to Nintendo, and the 1991 release of Sonic the Hedgehog made it a strong rival to the SNES, especially in North America and Europe. Add-ons included the Mega-CD/Sega CD and the 32X.
Notable games
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Streets of Rage 2
- Gunstar Heroes
- Phantasy Star IV