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Sega Mega Drive
Consoles
name image company company_name tabs forum_thread hardware connectors emulators links videos related oc_id source
Mega Drive /media/museum/photos/sega_megadrive_jap_1_s.jpg /companies/sega Sega
hardware
connectors
emulators
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THE ACTION CHAIR The action chair is a rare item. Connected to a Genesis/Megadrive, it acts as a controller! When you lean backward/forward it tells the Genesis to go down/up and when you lean left/right it tells to go left/right. Two handles on each side offer two buttons each, resulting in 4 buttons : START, SELECT, A & B. The Action Chair is basically a chair mounted on a controller. It is thus possible to play all games with it, though it is more convenient to play games like After Burner II, Space Harrier II, Super Thunder Blade, Hang on, Road Rash, Super Monaco GP, etc. Thanks to **Spycal** for this picture /media/museum/hardware/sega_action-chair.jpg
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DOCUMENTATION Page 1 Thanks to **Spycal** for this picture /media/museum/hardware/sega_action-chair_doc_1.jpg
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DOCUMENTATION Page 2 Thanks to **Spycal** for this picture /media/museum/hardware/sega_action-chair_doc_2.jpg
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3 BUTTONS JOYSTICK The joystick port uses a multiplexing technique based on the 74HC157 chip (high-speed cmos quad 2-line to 1-line multiplexer) built-in the controller. There are 2 inputs for each 4 outputs of the chip. The console can determine which function is read by setting the *select* signal to 0v (logic low) or +5v (logic high). **Fun fact :** Atari 2600 joysticks could be used in the Genesis joystick ports. The button of the Atari joystick was the "B" button on a Sega Genesis, and the direction buttons are fully functional. /media/museum/connectors/genesis_joystick.gif
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Gens http://gens.consolemul.com/ Windows Excellent Genesis emulator
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KEGA http://www.eidolons-inn.net/kega/ Windows Kega is a Sega SG1000, SC3000, Master System, Game Gear, Genesis/Megadrive and SegaCD/MegaCD emulator for Win9x/ME/2000/XP
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Wgens http://emu.makii.pl/pokazpliki.php3?tematy=smd Windows Sega Megadrive emulator
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GameFAQs http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/genesis/ All sort of FAQs related to the Genesis / megadrive (games, hardware, etc.)
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GameWinners.com http://www.gamewinners.com/GEN/ Great cheat codes archive !
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GAMEX.COM http://www.gamesx.com/avpinouts/genesisav.htm Genesis / Megadrive video pinouts
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Genesis Collective http://www.genesiscollective.com/ Giant software database, full of useful info
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IGN.COM http://codes.ign.com/ A LOT of Genesis game codes
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Megadrive FAQ http://www.classicgaming.com/museum/faqs/megadfaq.shtml Megadrive FAQ hosted by Classicgaming.com
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Official 32X pages from Sega! http://www.sega.co.jp/archive/segahard/32x/ Excellent. Lot of info here (specs, pix, soft lists, ads,etc.)
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Official Mega Drive pages from Sega! http://www.sega.co.jp/archive/segahard/md/ Excellent. Lot of info here (specs, pix, soft lists, ads,etc.)
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Official Sega CD pages from Sega! http://www.sega.co.jp/archive/segahard/mcd/ Excellent. Lot of info here (specs, pix, soft lists, ads,etc.)
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SEGA CD FAQ http://www.classicgaming.com/museum/faqs/segacdfaq.shtml Sega CD FAQ hosted by classicgaming.com
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The Dump http://www.classicgaming.com/thedump/genesis/ Box arts, covers, reviews and more
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The McDonald Family Homepage http://www.billnkaz.demon.co.uk/segalist.htm How to build a RGB to D-SUB video cable for your Genesis / Megadrive 1. Also a big cheat file is available
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Video Game Music Archive http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/sega/genesis/ Sega Genesis music files directory !!!
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Zophar's Domain http://www.zophar.net/genesis.html Nice emulator list & some interestinf game info to download
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Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com Sega dedicated newsgroup
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Sega Genesis TV commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd-tH9fKuOo Length: 30s
/museum/sega-genesis
/museum/sega-genesis-2
/museum/sega-genesis-3
/museum/sega-mega-drive-ii
/museum/sega-nomad
/museum/sega-wondermega
1247
url date
https://web.archive.org/web/20221204121334/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1247 2022-12-04

The Mega Drive launched in 1988 in Japan. Europe had to wait two whole years before they would get the machine.

Designed as the replacement for the 8 bit Master System, it originally competed against other 8 bit systems, namely the Famicom/NES and PC Engine/TurboGrafx.

The Mega Drive had mixed fortunes. In Japan the console was out sold by both the PC Engine and later the Super Famicom. In Europe on the other hand, the Mega Drive fared considerably better. The practically unheard of TurboGrafx was extremely rare and the Mega Drive was able to outsell the SNES, finishing the generation in first place.

However, the success of the console in Europe, and as the Genesis in the States, may well have contributed to Sega's downfall. Two misjudged add-ons, the 32X and Mega CD put a huge dent in Sega's reputation, one so large that the company would never recover.

A redesigned Mega Drive II was released in 1993. The smaller console was cheaper to produce, similar in concept to the Master System II.