<s>
The	O
Sega	O
Genesis	O
,	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
outside	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
16-bit	B-Application
fourth	B-Application
generation	I-Application
home	B-Device
video	I-Device
game	I-Device
console	I-Device
developed	O
and	O
sold	O
by	O
Sega	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
Sega	O
's	O
third	O
console	B-Device
and	O
the	O
successor	O
to	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
South	O
Korea	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
distributed	O
by	O
Samsung	B-Application
Electronics	O
as	O
the	O
Super	O
Gam*Boy	O
and	O
later	O
the	O
Super	O
Aladdin	B-Application
Boy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Designed	O
by	O
an	O
R&D	O
team	O
supervised	O
by	O
Hideki	O
Sato	O
and	O
Masami	O
Ishikawa	O
,	O
the	O
Genesis	O
was	O
adapted	O
from	O
Sega	O
's	O
System	O
16	O
arcade	O
board	O
,	O
centered	O
on	O
a	O
Motorola	B-Device
68000	I-Device
processor	I-Device
as	O
the	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
,	O
a	O
Zilog	B-General_Concept
Z80	I-General_Concept
as	O
a	O
sound	O
controller	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
video	O
system	O
supporting	O
hardware	O
sprites	O
,	O
tiles	B-Application
,	O
and	O
scrolling	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
plays	O
a	O
library	O
of	O
more	O
than	O
900	O
games	O
on	O
ROM-based	B-Protocol
cartridges	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
created	O
two	O
network	O
services	O
to	O
support	O
the	O
Genesis	O
:	O
Sega	B-Application
Meganet	I-Application
and	O
Sega	B-Application
Channel	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
fared	O
poorly	O
against	O
its	O
two	O
main	O
competitors	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
and	O
NEC	O
's	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
,	O
but	O
it	O
achieved	O
considerable	O
success	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
Brazil	O
,	O
and	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Contributing	O
to	O
its	O
success	O
was	O
its	O
library	O
of	O
arcade	O
game	O
ports	O
,	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
series	I-Application
,	O
several	O
popular	O
sports	O
franchises	O
,	O
and	O
aggressive	O
youth	O
marketing	O
that	O
positioned	O
it	O
as	O
the	O
cool	O
console	B-Device
for	O
adolescents	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
1991	O
North	O
American	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Nintendo	I-Application
Entertainment	I-Application
System	I-Application
triggered	O
a	O
fierce	O
battle	O
for	O
market	O
share	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
and	O
Europe	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
console	B-Device
war	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Controversy	O
surrounding	O
violent	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
and	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
led	O
Sega	O
to	O
create	O
the	O
Videogame	O
Rating	O
Council	O
,	O
a	O
predecessor	O
to	O
the	O
Entertainment	O
Software	O
Rating	O
Board	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
,	O
Tec	O
Toy	O
sold	O
an	O
estimated	O
three	O
million	O
licensed	O
variants	O
in	O
Brazil	O
,	O
Majesco	O
projected	O
it	O
would	O
sell	O
1.5million	O
licensed	O
variants	O
of	O
the	O
system	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
and	O
smaller	O
numbers	O
were	O
sold	O
by	O
Samsung	B-Application
in	O
South	O
Korea	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
games	O
have	O
been	O
re-released	O
in	O
compilations	O
or	O
on	O
online	O
services	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Virtual	I-Application
Console	I-Application
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	O
was	O
succeeded	O
in	O
1994	O
by	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
company	O
retained	O
Sega	O
's	O
North	O
American	O
R&D	O
operation	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
its	O
Japanese	O
subsidiary	O
,	O
Sega	O
Enterprises	O
,	O
Ltd	O
.	O
With	O
its	O
arcade	O
business	O
in	O
decline	O
,	O
Sega	O
Enterprises	O
,	O
Ltd	O
.	O
president	O
Hayao	O
Nakayama	O
advocated	O
that	O
the	O
company	O
leverage	O
its	O
hardware	O
expertise	O
to	O
move	O
into	O
the	O
home	B-Device
console	I-Device
market	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
in	O
its	O
infancy	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nakayama	O
received	O
permission	O
to	O
proceed	O
with	O
this	O
project	O
,	O
leading	O
to	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
first	O
home	O
video	O
game	O
system	O
,	O
the	O
SG-1000	B-Operating_System
,	O
in	O
July	O
1983	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
estimated	O
that	O
the	O
Famicom	O
outsold	O
the	O
SG-1000	B-Operating_System
by	O
a	O
10-to-1	O
margin	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
SG-1000	B-Operating_System
was	O
replaced	O
by	O
the	O
Sega	O
Mark	O
III	O
within	O
two	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
Sega	O
continuing	O
to	O
have	O
difficulty	O
penetrating	O
the	O
home	O
market	O
,	O
Sega	O
's	O
console	B-Device
R&D	O
team	O
,	O
led	O
by	O
Masami	O
Ishikawa	O
and	O
supervised	O
by	O
Hideki	O
Sato	O
,	O
began	O
work	O
on	O
a	O
successor	O
to	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
almost	O
immediately	O
after	O
that	O
console	B-Device
launched	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1987	O
,	O
Sega	O
faced	O
another	O
threat	O
to	O
its	O
console	B-Device
business	O
when	O
Japanese	O
computer	O
giant	O
NEC	O
released	O
the	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
amid	O
great	O
publicity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
remain	O
competitive	O
against	O
the	O
two	O
more	O
established	O
consumer	O
electronics	O
companies	O
,	O
Ishikawa	O
and	O
his	O
team	O
decided	O
they	O
needed	O
to	O
incorporate	O
a	O
16-bit	B-Application
microprocessor	B-Architecture
into	O
their	O
new	O
system	O
to	O
make	O
an	O
impact	O
in	O
the	O
marketplace	O
and	O
once	O
again	O
turned	O
to	O
Sega	O
's	O
strengths	O
in	O
the	O
arcade	O
industry	O
to	O
adapt	O
the	O
successful	O
Sega	O
System	O
16	O
arcade	O
board	O
into	O
architecture	O
for	O
a	O
home	B-Device
console	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
decision	O
to	O
use	O
a	O
Motorola	B-Device
68000	I-Device
as	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
main	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
was	O
made	O
late	O
in	O
development	O
,	O
while	O
a	O
Zilog	B-General_Concept
Z80	I-General_Concept
was	O
used	O
as	O
a	O
secondary	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
to	O
handle	O
the	O
sound	O
due	O
to	O
fears	O
that	O
the	O
load	O
to	O
the	O
main	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
would	O
be	O
too	O
great	O
if	O
it	O
handled	O
both	O
the	O
visuals	O
and	O
the	O
audio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
68000	B-Device
chip	O
was	O
expensive	O
and	O
would	O
have	O
driven	O
the	O
retail	O
price	O
of	O
the	O
console	B-Device
up	O
greatly	O
,	O
but	O
Sega	O
was	O
able	O
to	O
negotiate	O
with	O
a	O
distributor	O
for	O
a	O
tenth	O
of	O
its	O
price	O
on	O
an	O
up-front	O
volume	O
order	O
with	O
the	O
promise	O
of	O
more	O
orders	O
pending	O
the	O
console	B-Device
's	O
future	O
success	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Sato	O
,	O
the	O
Japanese	O
design	O
for	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
was	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
appearance	O
of	O
an	O
audio	O
player	O
,	O
with	O
"	O
16-bit	B-Application
"	O
embossed	O
in	O
a	O
golden	O
metallic	O
veneer	O
to	O
create	O
an	O
impression	O
of	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
console	B-Device
was	O
announced	O
in	O
the	O
June	O
1988	O
issue	O
of	O
the	O
Japanese	O
gaming	O
magazine	O
Beep	O
!	O
</s>
<s>
Sato	O
said	O
some	O
design	O
elements	O
changed	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
gold-colored	O
"	O
16-bit	B-Application
"	O
wording	O
,	O
because	O
it	O
was	O
believed	O
that	O
the	O
color	O
would	O
be	O
mistaken	O
for	O
yellow	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
released	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
October	O
29	O
,	O
1988	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
launch	O
was	O
overshadowed	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
release	O
of	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
3	I-Application
a	O
week	O
earlier	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
two	O
days	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
the	O
console	B-Device
's	O
initial	O
production	O
run	O
sold	O
out	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
order	O
to	O
increase	O
sales	O
,	O
Sega	O
released	O
various	O
peripherals	O
and	O
games	O
,	O
including	O
an	O
online	O
banking	O
system	O
and	O
answering	O
machine	O
called	O
the	O
Sega	B-Application
Mega	I-Application
Anser	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nevertheless	O
,	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
was	O
unable	O
to	O
overtake	O
the	O
venerable	O
Famicom	O
and	O
remained	O
a	O
distant	O
third	O
in	O
Japan	O
behind	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
and	O
NEC	O
's	O
PC	B-General_Concept
Engine	I-General_Concept
throughout	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Application
era	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dissatisfied	O
with	O
Tonka	O
's	O
performance	O
,	O
Sega	O
looked	O
for	O
a	O
new	O
partner	O
to	O
market	O
the	O
Genesis	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
offered	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
Atari	O
Corporation	O
,	O
which	O
did	O
not	O
yet	O
have	O
a	O
16-bit	B-Application
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tramiel	O
declined	O
to	O
acquire	O
the	O
new	O
console	B-Device
,	O
deeming	O
it	O
too	O
expensive	O
,	O
and	O
instead	O
opted	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
.	O
Sega	O
decided	O
to	O
launch	O
the	O
console	B-Device
through	O
its	O
own	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
subsidiary	O
,	O
which	O
executed	O
a	O
limited	O
launch	O
on	O
August	O
14	O
,	O
1989	O
,	O
in	O
New	O
York	O
City	O
and	O
Los	O
Angeles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Games	O
like	O
Space	B-Application
Harrier	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
Ghouls	B-Application
'	I-Application
n	I-Application
Ghosts	I-Application
,	O
Golden	B-Application
Axe	I-Application
,	O
Super	B-Application
Thunder	I-Application
Blade	I-Application
,	O
and	O
The	B-Application
Revenge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Shinobi	I-Application
were	O
available	O
in	O
stores	O
at	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
console	B-Device
was	O
also	O
bundled	O
with	O
Altered	B-Application
Beast	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
increased	O
the	O
order	O
by	O
10,000	O
units	O
when	O
advanced	O
orders	O
had	O
exceeded	O
expectations	O
,	O
and	O
another	O
10,000	O
units	O
was	O
later	O
added	O
following	O
the	O
console	B-Device
's	O
success	O
at	O
the	O
ECES	O
event	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
companies	O
assisted	O
in	O
distributing	O
the	O
console	B-Device
to	O
various	O
countries	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tectoy	O
produced	O
games	O
exclusively	O
for	O
the	O
Brazilian	O
market	O
and	O
brought	O
the	O
Sega	B-Application
Meganet	I-Application
online	O
service	O
there	O
in	O
1995	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Samsung	B-Application
handled	O
sales	O
and	O
distribution	O
in	O
Korea	O
,	O
where	O
it	O
was	O
named	O
Super	O
Gam*Boy	O
and	O
retained	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
logo	O
alongside	O
the	O
Samsung	B-Application
name	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
later	O
renamed	O
Super	O
Aladdin	B-Application
Boy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Russia	O
,	O
Sega	O
officially	O
licensed	O
the	O
console	B-Device
to	O
local	O
distributor	O
Forrus	O
in	O
1994	O
,	O
replaced	O
in	O
1996	O
by	O
Bitman	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
year	O
,	O
the	O
video	B-Application
game	I-Application
console	I-Application
market	O
generated	O
between	O
and	O
in	O
Russia	O
,	O
with	O
Sega	O
accounting	O
for	O
half	O
of	O
all	O
console	B-Device
sales	O
in	O
the	O
country	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
Nintendo	O
owned	O
the	O
console	B-Device
rights	O
to	O
most	O
arcade	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
the	O
second	O
part	O
involved	O
creating	O
a	O
library	O
of	O
recognizable	O
games	O
which	O
used	O
the	O
names	O
and	O
likenesses	O
of	O
celebrities	O
and	O
athletes	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Pat	B-Application
Riley	I-Application
Basketball	I-Application
,	O
Arnold	B-Application
Palmer	I-Application
Tournament	I-Application
Golf	I-Application
,	O
James	B-Application
'	I-Application
Buster	I-Application
 '	I-Application
Douglas	I-Application
Knockout	I-Application
Boxing	I-Application
,	O
Joe	B-Application
Montana	I-Application
Football	I-Application
,	O
Tommy	B-Application
Lasorda	I-Application
Baseball	I-Application
,	O
Mario	B-Application
Lemieux	O
Hockey	O
,	O
and	O
Michael	B-Application
Jackson	I-Application
's	I-Application
Moonwalker	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
Winter	O
Consumer	O
Electronics	O
Show	O
(	O
Winter	O
CES	O
)	O
in	O
January	O
1990	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	O
Genesis	O
demonstrated	O
a	O
strong	O
line-up	O
of	O
games	O
which	O
received	O
a	O
positive	O
reception	O
for	O
approaching	O
arcade-quality	O
graphics	O
and	O
gameplay	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
for	O
providing	O
non-arcade	O
experiences	O
such	O
as	O
Phantasy	B-Application
Star	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
believer	O
in	O
the	O
razor	O
and	O
blades	O
model	O
,	O
he	O
developed	O
a	O
four-point	O
plan	O
:	O
cut	O
the	O
price	O
of	O
the	O
console	B-Device
,	O
create	O
an	O
American	O
team	O
to	O
develop	O
games	O
targeted	O
at	O
the	O
American	O
market	O
,	O
expand	O
the	O
aggressive	O
advertising	O
campaigns	O
,	O
and	O
replace	O
the	O
bundled	O
game	O
Altered	B-Application
Beast	I-Application
with	O
a	O
new	O
game	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
praised	O
Sonic	B-Application
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
greatest	O
games	O
yet	O
made	O
,	O
and	O
Genesis	O
sales	O
increased	O
as	O
customers	O
who	O
had	O
been	O
waiting	O
for	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
international	O
version	O
of	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Super	B-Application
Famicom	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Nintendo	I-Application
Entertainment	I-Application
System	I-Application
(	O
SNES	B-Application
)	O
,	O
decided	O
to	O
purchase	O
a	O
Genesis	O
instead	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
SNES	B-Application
debuted	O
against	O
an	O
established	O
competitor	O
,	O
while	O
NEC	O
's	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
failed	O
to	O
gain	O
traction	O
,	O
and	O
NEC	O
soon	O
pulled	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
large	O
part	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Genesis	O
outsold	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
nearly	O
two	O
to	O
one	O
during	O
the	O
1991	O
holiday	O
season	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
controlled	O
65%	O
of	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Application
console	I-Application
market	O
in	O
January	O
1992	O
,	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
Nintendo	O
had	O
not	O
been	O
the	O
console	B-Device
leader	O
since	O
1985	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	O
outsold	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
for	O
four	O
consecutive	O
Christmas	O
seasons	O
due	O
to	O
its	O
two-year	O
lead	O
,	O
lower	O
price	O
point	O
,	O
and	O
larger	O
game	O
library	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
at	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
had	O
ten	O
games	O
for	O
every	O
game	O
on	O
SNES	B-Application
,	O
and	O
while	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
had	O
an	O
exclusive	O
version	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fight	I-Application
,	O
one	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
internal	O
development	O
teams	O
created	O
Streets	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
,	O
which	O
had	O
bigger	O
levels	O
,	O
tougher	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
well-regarded	O
soundtrack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
ASCII	O
Entertainment	O
reported	O
in	O
early	O
1993	O
that	O
Genesis	O
had	O
250	O
games	O
versus	O
75	O
for	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
,	O
but	O
limited	O
shelf	O
space	O
meant	O
that	O
stores	O
typically	O
offered	O
100	O
Genesis	O
and	O
50	O
SNES	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
's	O
advertising	O
positioned	O
the	O
Genesis	O
as	O
the	O
cooler	O
console	B-Device
,	O
and	O
coined	O
the	O
term	O
blast	O
processing	O
,	O
an	O
obscure	O
and	O
unused	O
graphics	O
programming	O
method	O
,	O
to	O
suggest	O
that	O
its	O
processing	O
capabilities	O
were	O
far	O
greater	O
than	O
those	O
of	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Sony	O
focus	O
group	O
found	O
that	O
teenage	O
boys	O
would	O
not	O
admit	O
to	O
owning	O
an	O
SNES	B-Application
rather	O
than	O
a	O
Genesis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
Genesis	O
often	O
outselling	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
at	O
a	O
ratio	O
of	O
2:1	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
and	O
Sega	O
focused	O
heavily	O
on	O
impression	O
management	O
of	O
the	O
market	O
,	O
even	O
going	O
to	O
the	O
point	O
of	O
deception	O
;	O
Nintendo	O
claimed	O
it	O
had	O
sold	O
more	O
consoles	O
in	O
1991	O
than	O
it	O
actually	O
had	O
,	O
and	O
forecasted	O
it	O
would	O
sell	O
6million	O
consoles	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1992	O
,	O
while	O
its	O
actual	O
U.S.	O
install	O
base	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1992	O
was	O
only	O
just	O
more	O
than	O
4million	O
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
these	O
tactics	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
difficult	O
to	O
ascertain	O
a	O
clear	O
leader	O
in	O
market	O
share	O
for	O
several	O
years	O
at	O
a	O
time	O
,	O
with	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
dollar	O
share	O
of	O
the	O
U.S.	O
16-bit	B-Application
market	O
dipping	O
down	O
from	O
60%	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1992	O
to	O
37%	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1993	O
,	O
Sega	O
claiming	O
55%	O
of	O
all	O
16-bit	B-Application
hardware	O
sales	O
during	O
1994	O
,	O
and	O
Donkey	B-Application
Kong	I-Application
Country	I-Application
helping	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
to	O
outsell	O
the	O
Genesis	O
from	O
1995	O
through	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
a	O
2004	O
study	O
of	O
NPD	O
sales	O
data	O
,	O
the	O
Genesis	O
maintained	O
its	O
lead	O
over	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
in	O
the	O
American	O
16-bit	B-Application
console	I-Application
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
a	O
2014	O
Wedbush	O
Securities	O
report	O
based	O
on	O
revised	O
NPD	O
sales	O
data	O
,	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
outsold	O
the	O
Sega	O
Genesis	O
in	O
the	O
U.S.	O
market	O
by	O
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
compete	O
with	O
Nintendo	O
,	O
Sega	O
was	O
more	O
open	O
to	O
new	O
types	O
of	O
games	O
,	O
but	O
still	O
tightly	O
controlled	O
the	O
approval	O
process	O
for	O
third-party	O
games	O
and	O
charged	O
high	O
prices	O
for	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
manufacturing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
decided	O
to	O
reverse-engineer	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
using	O
a	O
clean-room	O
method	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
method	O
Phoenix	O
Technologies	O
had	O
used	O
to	O
reverse-engineer	O
the	O
IBM	B-Device
Personal	I-Device
Computer	I-Device
BIOS	B-Operating_System
around	O
1984	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
EA	O
released	O
its	O
first	O
Genesis	O
games	O
,	O
Populous	B-Application
and	O
Budokan	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Martial	I-Application
Spirit	I-Application
,	O
within	O
the	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
Genesis	O
version	O
of	O
EA	O
's	O
John	B-Application
Madden	I-Application
Football	I-Application
arrived	O
before	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1990	O
,	O
and	O
became	O
what	O
Gordon	O
called	O
a	O
"	O
killer	O
app	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Taking	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
licensing	O
agreement	O
,	O
Gordon	O
and	O
EA	O
's	O
vice	O
president	O
of	O
marketing	O
services	O
Nancy	O
Fong	O
created	O
a	O
visual	O
identifier	O
for	O
EA	O
's	O
Genesis	O
cartridges	B-Protocol
:	O
a	O
yellow	O
tab	O
molded	O
into	O
the	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
casing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
held	O
a	O
company-wide	O
contest	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
mascot	O
character	O
to	O
compete	O
with	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
Mario	B-Application
series	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
winning	O
submission	O
was	O
a	O
blue	O
hedgehog	O
with	O
red	O
shoes	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
,	O
created	O
by	O
Naoto	O
Ohshima	O
,	O
spawning	O
one	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
best-selling	I-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
franchises	I-Application
in	O
history	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
originated	O
with	O
a	O
tech	O
demo	O
created	O
by	O
Yuji	O
Naka	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
developed	O
a	O
prototype	O
platform	O
game	O
that	O
involved	O
a	O
fast-moving	O
character	O
rolling	O
in	O
a	O
ball	O
through	O
a	O
long	O
winding	O
tube	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Katz	O
and	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
's	O
marketing	O
experts	O
disliked	O
Sonic	B-Application
,	O
certain	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
not	O
catch	O
on	O
with	O
American	O
children	O
,	O
Kalinske	O
's	O
strategy	O
to	O
place	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
as	O
the	O
pack-in	O
game	O
paid	O
off	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
greatly	O
increased	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
bundle	O
is	O
credited	O
with	O
helping	O
Sega	O
gain	O
65%	O
of	O
the	O
market	O
share	O
against	O
Nintendo	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similarly	O
,	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
Sega	O
captured	O
a	O
65%	O
share	O
of	O
the	O
European	O
console	B-Device
market	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
maintained	O
its	O
lead	O
over	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
through	O
1994	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2	I-Application
set	O
records	O
for	O
the	O
fastest-selling	O
game	O
,	O
selling	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
within	O
two	O
weeks	O
,	O
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
3	I-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
&	I-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
selling	O
a	O
combined	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
in	O
1989	O
,	O
video	O
game	O
publisher	O
Accolade	O
began	O
exploring	O
options	O
to	O
release	O
some	O
of	O
their	O
PC	B-Device
games	O
on	O
the	O
console	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Accolade	O
co-founder	O
Alan	O
Miller	O
,	O
"	O
One	O
pays	O
them	O
between	O
$10	O
and	O
$15	O
per	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
on	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
real	O
hardware	O
manufacturing	O
costs	O
,	O
so	O
it	O
about	O
doubles	O
the	O
cost	O
of	O
goods	O
to	O
the	O
independent	O
publisher.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
did	O
so	O
by	O
purchasing	O
one	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
decompile	B-Application
the	O
executable	B-Application
code	I-Application
of	O
three	O
Genesis	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Such	O
information	O
was	O
used	O
to	O
program	O
their	O
new	O
Genesis	O
cartridges	B-Protocol
in	O
a	O
way	O
that	O
would	O
allow	O
them	O
to	O
disable	O
the	O
security	O
lockouts	O
on	O
the	O
Genesis	O
that	O
prevented	O
unlicensed	O
games	O
from	O
being	O
played	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
strategy	O
was	O
used	O
successfully	O
to	O
bring	O
Ishido	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Way	I-Application
of	I-Application
Stones	I-Application
to	O
the	O
Genesis	O
in	O
1990	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
new	O
variation	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
included	O
a	O
code	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Trademark	O
Security	O
System	O
(	O
TMSS	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
,	O
when	O
a	O
game	B-Protocol
cartridge	I-Protocol
was	O
inserted	O
,	O
would	O
check	O
for	O
the	O
presence	O
of	O
the	O
string	O
"	O
SEGA	O
"	O
at	O
a	O
particular	O
point	O
in	O
the	O
memory	O
contained	O
in	O
the	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
string	O
was	O
present	O
,	O
the	O
console	B-Device
would	O
run	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
briefly	O
display	O
the	O
message	O
:	O
""	O
This	O
system	O
had	O
a	O
twofold	O
effect	O
:	O
it	O
added	O
extra	O
protection	O
against	O
unlicensed	O
developers	O
and	O
software	O
piracy	O
and	O
forced	O
the	O
Sega	O
trademark	O
to	O
display	O
when	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
powered	O
up	O
,	O
making	O
a	O
lawsuit	O
for	O
trademark	O
infringement	O
possible	O
if	O
unlicensed	O
software	O
were	O
to	O
be	O
developed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Accolade	O
learned	O
of	O
this	O
development	O
at	O
the	O
Winter	O
Consumer	O
Electronics	O
Show	O
in	O
January	O
1991	O
,	O
where	O
Sega	O
showed	O
the	O
new	O
Genesis	O
III	O
and	O
demonstrated	O
it	O
screening	O
and	O
rejecting	O
an	O
Ishido	B-Application
game	B-Protocol
cartridge	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
later	O
added	O
this	O
file	O
to	O
the	O
games	O
HardBall	O
!,	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
,	O
Mike	O
Ditka	O
Power	O
Football	O
,	O
and	O
Turrican	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
result	O
of	O
the	O
appeal	O
,	O
the	O
Ninth	O
Circuit	O
overturned	O
the	O
district	O
court	O
's	O
verdict	O
and	O
ruled	O
that	O
Accolade	O
's	O
decompilation	B-Application
of	O
the	O
Sega	O
software	O
constituted	O
fair	O
use	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
part	O
of	O
this	O
settlement	O
,	O
Accolade	O
became	O
an	O
official	O
licensee	O
of	O
Sega	O
,	O
and	O
later	O
developed	O
and	O
released	O
Barkley	B-Application
Shut	I-Application
Up	I-Application
and	I-Application
Jam	I-Application
!	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Games	O
such	O
as	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
,	O
an	O
add-on	O
,	O
received	O
unprecedented	O
scrutiny	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Issues	O
about	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
were	O
brought	O
up	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
with	O
former	O
Sega	O
of	O
Europe	O
development	O
director	O
Mike	O
Brogan	O
noting	O
that	O
"	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
got	O
Sega	O
an	O
awful	O
lot	O
of	O
publicity	O
...	O
it	O
was	O
also	O
cited	O
in	O
UK	O
Parliament	O
for	O
being	O
classified	O
as	O
'	O
15	O
 '	O
due	O
to	O
its	O
use	O
of	O
real	O
actors.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
far	O
the	O
year	O
's	O
most	O
controversial	O
game	O
was	O
Midway	O
's	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
,	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
Genesis	O
and	O
SNES	B-Application
by	O
Acclaim	O
Entertainment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
rating	O
system	O
in	O
place	O
,	O
Sega	O
released	O
its	O
version	O
of	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
,	O
appearing	O
to	O
have	O
removed	O
all	O
the	O
blood	O
and	O
sweat	O
effects	O
and	O
toning	O
down	O
the	O
finishing	O
moves	O
even	O
more	O
than	O
in	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
the	O
tamer	O
SNES	B-Application
version	O
shipped	O
without	O
a	O
rating	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	O
version	O
of	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
was	O
well-received	O
by	O
gaming	O
press	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
fans	O
,	O
outselling	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
version	O
three	O
-	O
or	O
four-to-one	O
,	O
while	O
Nintendo	O
was	O
criticized	O
for	O
censoring	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Executive	O
vice	O
president	O
of	O
Nintendo	O
of	O
America	O
Howard	O
Lincoln	O
was	O
quick	O
to	O
point	O
out	O
at	O
the	O
hearings	O
that	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
had	O
no	O
such	O
rating	O
,	O
saying	O
to	O
Senator	O
Joe	O
Lieberman	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
response	O
,	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
vice	O
president	O
Bill	O
White	O
showed	O
a	O
videotape	O
of	O
violent	O
video	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
and	O
stressed	O
the	O
importance	O
of	O
rating	O
video	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
result	O
of	O
the	O
congressional	O
hearings	O
,	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
started	O
to	O
generate	O
more	O
sales	O
and	O
released	O
ports	O
to	O
the	O
PC	B-Device
,	O
Sega	B-Device
32X	I-Device
,	O
and	O
3DO	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Digital	B-Algorithm
Pictures	I-Algorithm
founder	O
Tom	O
Zito	O
,	O
"	O
You	O
know	O
,	O
I	O
sold	O
50,000	O
units	O
of	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
a	O
week	O
after	O
those	O
hearings.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
experiencing	O
increased	O
sales	O
,	O
Sega	O
decided	O
to	O
recall	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
and	O
re-release	O
it	O
with	O
revisions	O
in	O
1994	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
congressional	O
hearings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
this	O
new	O
rating	O
system	O
in	O
place	O
for	O
the	O
1994	O
holiday	O
season	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
decided	O
its	O
censorship	O
policies	O
were	O
no	O
longer	O
needed	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
port	O
of	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
II	I-Application
was	O
released	O
uncensored	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
released	O
two	O
add-ons	O
to	O
increase	O
the	O
Genesis	O
capabilities	O
:	O
a	O
CD	O
peripheral	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
(	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
outside	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Brazil	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
32-bit	O
peripheral	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
32X	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Worldwide	O
,	O
Sega	O
sold	O
2.24	O
million	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
units	O
and	O
800,000	O
32X	B-Device
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
the	O
next-generation	O
32-bit	O
Sony	B-Device
PlayStation	I-Device
and	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
,	O
sales	O
of	O
16-bit	B-Application
hardware	O
and	O
software	O
continued	O
to	O
account	O
for	O
64%	O
of	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
market	O
in	O
1995	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
captured	O
43%	O
of	O
the	O
dollar	O
share	O
of	O
the	O
U.S.	O
video	O
game	O
market	O
and	O
claimed	O
to	O
have	O
sold	O
more	O
than	O
two	O
million	O
Genesis	O
units	O
in	O
1995	O
,	O
while	O
Genesis	O
software	O
such	O
as	O
Vectorman	B-Application
remained	O
successful	O
,	O
but	O
Kalinske	O
estimated	O
that	O
"	O
we	O
could	O
have	O
sold	O
another	O
300,000	O
Genesis	O
systems	O
in	O
the	O
November/December	O
timeframe	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nakayama	O
's	O
decision	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
,	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
systems	O
 '	O
relative	O
performance	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
has	O
been	O
cited	O
as	O
the	O
major	O
contributing	O
factor	O
in	O
this	O
miscalculation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
contrast	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
concentrated	O
on	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Application
home	B-Device
console	I-Device
market	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
its	O
successful	O
handheld	B-Application
,	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
,	O
and	O
took	O
in	O
42%	O
of	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
market	O
dollar	O
share	O
without	O
launching	O
a	O
32-bit	B-Application
console	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
tensions	O
with	O
Sega	O
Enterprises	O
,	O
Ltd	O
.	O
over	O
its	O
focus	O
on	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
,	O
Kalinske	O
,	O
who	O
oversaw	O
the	O
rise	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
in	O
1991	O
,	O
lost	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
business	O
and	O
resigned	O
in	O
mid-1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Majesco	O
began	O
reselling	O
millions	O
of	O
unsold	O
cartridges	B-Protocol
at	O
a	O
budget	O
price	O
,	O
together	O
with	O
150,000	O
units	O
of	O
the	O
second	O
model	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
released	O
the	O
Genesis	O
3	O
,	O
projecting	O
to	O
sell	O
1.5million	O
units	O
of	O
the	O
console	B-Device
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
microprocessor	B-Architecture
is	O
a	O
16/32	O
-bit	O
Motorola	B-Device
68000	I-Device
CPU	B-General_Concept
clocked	O
at	O
7.6	O
MHz	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
8-bit	O
Zilog	B-General_Concept
Z80	I-General_Concept
processor	O
controls	O
the	O
sound	O
hardware	O
and	O
provides	O
backward	B-General_Concept
compatibility	I-General_Concept
with	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	O
has	O
64	O
KB	O
of	O
RAM	B-Architecture
,	O
64	O
KB	O
of	O
video	O
RAM	B-Architecture
and	O
8	O
KB	O
of	O
audio	O
RAM	B-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
can	O
display	O
up	O
to	O
61	O
colors	O
at	O
once	O
from	O
a	O
palette	B-Data_Structure
of	O
512	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
games	O
are	O
in	O
ROM	B-Protocol
cartridge	I-Protocol
format	O
and	O
inserted	O
in	O
the	O
top	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	O
produces	O
sound	O
using	O
a	O
Texas	B-Device
Instruments	I-Device
SN76489	I-Device
programmable	O
sound	O
generator	O
,	O
integrated	O
with	O
the	O
Video	O
Display	O
Processor	O
(	O
VDP	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
Yamaha	O
YM2612	O
FM	B-Application
synthesizer	O
chip	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Z80	B-General_Concept
processor	O
is	O
primarily	O
used	O
to	O
control	O
both	O
sound	O
chips	O
to	O
produce	O
stereo	O
music	O
and	O
sound	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
back	O
of	O
the	O
Model	O
1	O
console	B-Device
provides	O
an	O
RF	O
output	O
port	O
(	O
designed	O
for	O
use	O
with	O
antenna	O
and	O
cable	O
systems	O
)	O
and	O
a	O
specialized	O
8-pin	O
DIN	B-Architecture
port	O
,	O
which	O
both	O
provide	O
video	O
and	O
audio	O
output	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
outputs	O
produce	O
monophonic	O
sound	O
;	O
a	O
headphone	B-Device
jack	I-Device
on	O
the	O
front	O
of	O
the	O
console	B-Device
produces	O
stereo	O
sound	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
Model	O
2	O
,	O
the	O
DIN	B-Architecture
port	O
,	O
RF	O
output	O
port	O
,	O
and	O
headphone	B-Device
jack	I-Device
are	O
replaced	O
by	O
a	O
9-pin	O
mini-DIN	B-Protocol
port	O
on	O
the	O
back	O
for	O
composite	O
video	O
,	O
RGB	O
and	O
stereo	O
sound	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
standard	O
RF	O
switch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
edge	O
connector	O
on	O
the	O
bottom	O
right	O
of	O
the	O
console	B-Device
can	O
be	O
connected	O
to	O
a	O
peripheral	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
standard	O
controller	O
features	O
a	O
rounded	O
shape	O
,	O
a	O
directional	B-Device
pad	I-Device
,	O
three	O
main	O
buttons	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
START	O
button	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1993	O
,	O
Sega	O
released	O
a	O
slightly	O
smaller	O
pad	O
with	O
three	O
additional	O
face	O
buttons	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
design	O
of	O
buttons	O
on	O
some	O
popular	O
arcade	O
fighting	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
II	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
system	O
is	O
backward	B-General_Concept
compatible	I-General_Concept
with	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Device
Menacer	I-Device
is	O
a	O
wireless	O
,	O
infrared	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
peripheral	O
used	O
with	O
compatible	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
third	O
parties	O
created	O
light	B-Device
gun	I-Device
peripherals	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
American	O
Laser	O
Games	O
Pistol	O
and	O
the	O
Konami	O
Justifier	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Released	O
for	O
art	O
creation	O
software	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	O
Mega	O
Mouse	O
features	O
three	O
buttons	O
and	O
is	O
only	O
compatible	O
with	O
a	O
few	O
games	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Eye	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Beholder	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
foam-covered	O
bat	O
called	O
the	O
BatterUP	B-Device
and	O
the	O
TeeVGolf	O
golf	O
club	O
were	O
released	O
for	O
both	O
the	O
Genesis	O
and	O
SNES	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
1993	O
,	O
Sega	O
released	O
the	O
Sega	O
Activator	O
,	O
an	O
octagonal	O
device	O
that	O
lies	O
flat	O
on	O
the	O
floor	O
and	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
translate	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
physical	O
movements	O
into	O
game	O
inputs	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
first	O
shown	O
at	O
the	O
January	O
1993	O
Consumer	O
Electronics	O
Show	O
(	O
CES	O
)	O
,	O
where	O
it	O
was	O
demonstrated	O
with	O
Streets	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
high-profile	O
games	O
,	O
including	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
and	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	O
Special	O
Champion	B-Application
Edition	I-Application
,	O
were	O
adapted	O
to	O
support	O
the	O
peripheral	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
EA	O
and	O
Sega	O
released	O
multitaps	B-Device
to	O
allow	O
more	O
than	O
the	O
standard	O
two	O
players	O
to	O
play	O
at	O
once	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
response	O
to	O
complaints	O
about	O
this	O
,	O
Sega	O
publicly	O
stated	O
,	O
"	O
We	O
have	O
been	O
working	O
hard	O
to	O
resolve	O
this	O
problem	O
since	O
we	O
learned	O
of	O
it	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
a	O
new	O
Team	O
Player	O
which	O
would	O
work	O
with	O
all	O
multitap	B-Device
games	O
for	O
the	O
console	B-Device
would	O
be	O
released	O
shortly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Codemasters	O
also	O
developed	O
the	O
J-Cart	B-Device
system	O
,	O
providing	O
two	O
extra	O
ports	O
on	O
the	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
itself	O
,	O
although	O
the	O
technology	O
came	O
late	O
in	O
the	O
console	B-Device
's	O
life	O
and	O
is	O
only	O
featured	O
on	O
a	O
few	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
planned	O
to	O
release	O
a	O
steering	B-Application
wheel	I-Application
peripheral	I-Application
in	O
1994	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Genesis	O
version	O
of	O
Virtua	B-Application
Racing	I-Application
was	O
advertised	O
as	O
being	O
"	O
steering	O
wheel	O
compatible	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
peripheral	O
was	O
cancelled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
first	O
foray	O
into	O
online	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
,	O
Sega	O
created	O
Sega	B-Application
Meganet	I-Application
,	O
which	O
debuted	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
November	O
3	O
,	O
1990	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Operating	O
through	O
a	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
and	O
a	O
peripheral	O
called	O
the	O
"	O
Mega	B-Application
Modem	I-Application
"	O
,	O
this	O
allowed	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
players	O
to	O
play	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
seventeen	O
games	O
online	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
phone-based	O
system	O
,	O
the	O
Mega	B-Application
Anser	I-Application
,	O
turned	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
into	O
an	O
online	O
banking	O
terminal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1994	O
,	O
Sega	O
started	O
the	O
Sega	B-Application
Channel	I-Application
,	O
a	O
game	O
distribution	O
system	O
using	O
cable	O
television	O
services	O
Time	O
Warner	O
Cable	O
and	O
TCI	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Games	O
were	O
downloaded	O
to	O
internal	O
memory	O
and	O
deleted	O
when	O
the	O
console	B-Device
was	O
powered	O
off	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Application
Channel	I-Application
reached	O
250,000	O
subscribers	O
at	O
its	O
peak	O
and	O
ran	O
until	O
July	O
31	O
,	O
1998	O
,	O
well	O
past	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
effort	O
to	O
compete	O
with	O
Sega	O
,	O
third-party	O
developer	O
Catapult	O
Entertainment	O
created	O
the	O
XBAND	B-Application
,	O
a	O
peripheral	O
which	O
allowed	O
Genesis	O
players	O
to	O
engage	O
in	O
online	O
competitive	O
gaming	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Using	O
telephone	O
services	O
to	O
share	O
data	O
,	O
XBAND	B-Application
was	O
initially	O
offered	O
in	O
five	O
U.S.	O
cities	O
in	O
November	O
1994	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
following	O
year	O
,	O
the	O
service	O
was	O
extended	O
to	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Catapult	O
teamed	O
up	O
with	O
Blockbuster	O
Video	O
to	O
market	O
the	O
service	O
,	O
but	O
as	O
interest	O
in	O
the	O
service	O
waned	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
discontinued	O
in	O
April	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
initial	O
pack-in	O
game	O
was	O
Altered	B-Application
Beast	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
later	O
replaced	O
with	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
in	O
1991	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Top	O
sellers	O
included	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
,	O
its	O
sequel	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Disney	B-Application
's	I-Application
Aladdin	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
development	O
for	O
the	O
console	B-Device
,	O
Sega	O
Enterprises	O
focused	O
on	O
developing	O
action	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
while	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
was	O
tasked	O
with	O
developing	O
sports	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
large	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
appeal	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
library	O
during	O
the	O
console	B-Device
's	O
lifetime	O
was	O
the	O
arcade-based	O
experience	O
of	O
its	O
games	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
more	O
difficult	O
entries	O
such	O
as	O
Ecco	B-Application
the	I-Application
Dolphin	I-Application
,	O
and	O
sports	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Joe	B-Application
Montana	I-Application
Football	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Compared	O
to	O
its	O
competition	O
,	O
Sega	O
advertised	O
to	O
an	O
older	O
audience	O
by	O
hosting	O
more	O
mature	O
games	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
uncensored	O
version	O
of	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Notably	O
,	O
the	O
arcade	O
hit	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
II	I-Application
by	O
Capcom	O
initially	O
skipped	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
instead	O
only	O
being	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Genesis	O
continued	O
to	O
grow	O
in	O
popularity	O
,	O
Capcom	O
eventually	O
ported	O
a	O
version	O
of	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
II	I-Application
to	O
the	O
system	O
known	O
as	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
II	I-Application
:	I-Application
Champion	I-Application
Edition	I-Application
,	O
that	O
would	O
go	O
on	O
to	O
sell	O
over	O
a	O
million	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Trip	O
Hawkins	O
,	O
founder	O
and	O
then	O
president	O
of	O
EA	O
,	O
believed	O
the	O
faster	O
drawing	O
speed	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
made	O
it	O
more	O
suitable	O
for	O
sport	O
games	O
than	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
,	O
and	O
credits	O
EA	O
's	O
success	O
on	O
the	O
Genesis	O
for	O
helping	O
catapult	O
the	O
EA	O
Sports	O
brand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
third-party	O
blockbuster	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
was	O
the	O
port	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
arcade	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
and	O
Genesis	O
simultaneously	O
,	O
the	O
two	O
ports	O
were	O
not	O
identical	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
SNES	B-Application
version	O
looked	O
closer	O
to	O
the	O
arcade	O
game	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
Genesis	O
version	O
allowed	O
players	O
to	O
bypass	O
censorship	O
,	O
helping	O
make	O
it	O
more	O
popular	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1997	O
,	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
claimed	O
the	O
Genesis	O
had	O
a	O
software	O
attach	O
rate	O
of	O
16	O
games	O
sold	O
per	O
console	B-Device
,	O
double	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
can	O
have	O
enhancement	B-General_Concept
chips	I-General_Concept
inside	O
each	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
to	O
produce	O
more	O
advanced	O
graphics	O
;	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
the	O
launch	O
game	O
Pilotwings	B-Application
(	O
1990	O
)	O
contains	O
a	O
digital	B-Architecture
signal	I-Architecture
processor	I-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
,	O
the	O
Super	B-Device
FX	I-Device
chip	I-Device
was	O
designed	O
to	O
offload	O
complex	O
rendering	O
tasks	O
from	O
the	O
main	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
first	O
used	O
in	O
Star	B-Application
Fox	I-Application
(	O
1993	O
)	O
for	O
real-time	O
3D	O
polygons	O
,	O
and	O
Super	B-Device
Mario	I-Device
World	I-Device
2	I-Device
:	I-Device
Yoshi	I-Device
's	I-Device
Island	I-Device
(	O
1995	O
)	O
demonstrates	O
rotation	O
,	O
scaling	B-Algorithm
,	O
and	O
stretching	B-Algorithm
of	O
individual	O
sprites	O
and	O
manipulates	O
large	O
areas	O
of	O
the	O
screen	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
had	O
produced	O
such	O
effects	O
on	O
its	O
arcade	O
platforms	O
,	O
and	O
adapted	O
some	O
to	O
the	O
home	B-Device
console	I-Device
by	O
developing	O
the	O
Sega	O
Virtua	O
Processor	O
(	O
SVP	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Based	O
on	O
a	O
digital	B-Architecture
signal	I-Architecture
processor	I-Architecture
core	O
by	O
Samsung	B-Application
Electronics	O
,	O
this	O
chip	O
enables	O
the	O
Genesis	O
to	O
render	O
polygons	O
in	O
real	O
time	O
and	O
provides	O
an	O
"	O
Axis	O
Transformation	O
"	O
unit	O
that	O
handles	O
scaling	B-Algorithm
and	O
rotation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Virtua	B-Application
Racing	I-Application
(	O
1994	O
)	O
is	O
the	O
only	O
game	O
released	O
with	O
this	O
chip	O
and	O
the	O
only	O
Genesis	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
with	O
any	O
enhancement	O
chip	O
,	O
running	O
at	O
a	O
significantly	O
higher	O
and	O
more	O
stable	O
frame	O
rate	O
than	O
filled	O
polygon	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
chip	O
drastically	O
increased	O
the	O
cost	O
of	O
the	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
,	O
and	O
at	O
,	O
Virtua	B-Application
Racing	I-Application
is	O
the	O
most	O
expensive	O
Genesis	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
ever	O
produced	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
other	O
games	O
,	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
and	O
Daytona	B-Application
USA	I-Application
,	O
were	O
planned	O
for	O
the	O
SVP	O
chip	O
,	O
but	O
were	O
instead	O
moved	O
into	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
's	O
launch	O
line-up	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
planned	O
to	O
sell	O
the	O
SVP	O
chip	O
as	O
a	O
separate	O
upgrade	O
module	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
canceled	O
,	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
focus	O
its	O
efforts	O
on	O
more	O
powerful	O
32X	B-Device
add-on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
is	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
(	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
in	O
all	O
regions	O
except	O
for	O
North	O
America	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
compact	O
disc-based	O
peripheral	O
that	O
can	O
play	O
its	O
library	O
of	O
games	O
in	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
format	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
is	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
32X	I-Device
,	O
a	O
32-bit	O
peripheral	O
which	O
uses	O
ROM	B-Protocol
cartridges	I-Protocol
and	O
serves	O
as	O
a	O
pass-through	O
for	O
Genesis	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
1991	O
,	O
compact	O
discs	O
had	O
gained	O
in	O
popularity	O
as	O
a	O
data	B-General_Concept
storage	I-General_Concept
device	I-General_Concept
for	O
music	O
and	O
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PCs	B-Device
and	O
video	O
game	O
companies	O
had	O
started	O
to	O
make	O
use	O
of	O
this	O
technology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NEC	O
had	O
been	O
the	O
first	O
to	O
include	O
CD	O
technology	O
in	O
a	O
game	O
console	B-Device
with	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-CD	O
add-on	O
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
was	O
making	O
plans	O
to	O
develop	O
its	B-Device
own	I-Device
CD	I-Device
peripheral	I-Device
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Seeing	O
the	O
opportunity	O
to	O
gain	O
an	O
advantage	O
over	O
its	O
rivals	O
,	O
Sega	O
partnered	O
with	O
JVC	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
add-on	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
launched	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
December	O
1	O
,	O
1991	O
,	O
initially	O
retailing	O
at	O
JP¥	O
49,800	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
CD	O
add-on	O
was	O
launched	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
October	O
15	O
,	O
1992	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
,	O
with	O
a	O
retail	O
price	O
of	O
US$299	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
Europe	O
as	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
in	O
1993	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
greatly	O
expanding	O
the	O
potential	O
size	O
of	O
its	O
games	O
,	O
this	O
add-on	O
unit	O
upgraded	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
capabilities	O
by	O
adding	O
a	O
second	O
,	O
more	O
powerful	O
processor	O
,	O
more	O
system	O
memory	O
,	O
and	O
hardware-based	O
scaling	B-Algorithm
and	O
rotation	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
found	O
in	O
Sega	O
's	O
arcade	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
provided	O
battery-backed	O
storage	O
RAM	B-Architecture
to	O
allow	O
games	O
to	O
save	O
high	O
scores	O
,	O
configuration	O
data	O
,	O
and	O
game	O
progress	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
its	O
launch	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
Sega	O
began	O
shipping	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
with	O
the	O
pack-in	O
game	O
Sewer	B-Application
Shark	I-Application
,	O
a	O
full	B-Application
motion	I-Application
video	I-Application
(	O
FMV	O
)	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Digital	B-Algorithm
Pictures	I-Algorithm
,	O
a	O
company	O
that	O
became	O
an	O
important	O
partner	O
for	O
Sega	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Touting	O
the	O
benefits	O
of	O
the	O
CD	O
's	O
comparatively	O
vast	O
storage	O
space	O
,	O
Sega	O
and	O
its	O
third-party	O
developers	O
produced	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
add-on	O
that	O
include	O
digital	O
video	O
in	O
their	O
gameplay	O
or	O
as	O
bonus	O
content	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
re-releasing	O
several	O
cartridge-based	B-Protocol
games	I-Protocol
with	O
high-fidelity	O
audio	O
tracks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1993	O
,	O
Sega	O
released	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
a	O
smaller	O
and	O
lighter	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
add-on	O
designed	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	O
II	O
,	O
at	O
a	O
reduced	O
price	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
limited	O
number	O
of	O
games	O
were	O
later	O
developed	O
that	O
use	O
both	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
and	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
32X	I-Device
add-ons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
sold	O
only	O
100,000	O
units	O
during	O
its	O
first	O
year	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
falling	O
well	O
below	O
expectations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1995	O
,	O
Sega	O
announced	O
a	O
shift	O
in	O
focus	O
to	O
its	O
new	O
console	B-Device
,	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
,	O
and	O
discontinued	O
advertising	O
for	O
Genesis	O
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
sold	O
2.24million	O
units	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
scheduled	O
for	O
1995	O
,	O
Sega	O
began	O
developing	O
a	O
stopgap	O
to	O
bridge	O
the	O
gap	O
between	O
the	O
Genesis	O
and	O
Saturn	B-Device
and	O
serve	O
as	O
a	O
less	O
expensive	O
entry	O
into	O
the	O
32-bit	B-Application
era	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
Winter	O
Consumer	O
Electronics	O
Show	O
in	O
January	O
1994	O
,	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
research	O
and	O
development	O
head	O
Joe	O
Miller	O
took	O
a	O
phone	O
call	O
from	O
Nakayama	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
Nakayama	O
stressed	O
the	O
importance	O
of	O
a	O
quick	O
response	O
to	O
the	O
Atari	B-Device
Jaguar	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
idea	O
came	O
from	O
a	O
concept	O
from	O
Sega	O
Enterprises	O
,	O
"	O
Project	O
Jupiter	O
,	O
"	O
a	O
new	O
standalone	O
console	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Project	O
Jupiter	O
was	O
initially	O
planned	O
as	O
a	O
new	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
with	O
an	O
upgraded	O
color	O
palette	B-Data_Structure
and	O
a	O
lower	O
cost	O
than	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
,	O
and	O
limited	O
3D	O
capabilities	O
thanks	O
to	O
integration	O
of	O
ideas	O
from	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	O
Virtua	O
Processor	O
chip	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Miller	O
suggested	O
an	O
alternative	O
strategy	O
,	O
citing	O
concerns	O
with	O
releasing	O
a	O
new	O
console	B-Device
with	O
no	O
previous	O
design	O
specifications	O
within	O
six	O
to	O
nine	O
months	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
suggestion	O
from	O
Miller	O
and	O
his	O
team	O
,	O
Sega	O
designed	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
as	O
a	O
peripheral	O
for	O
the	O
existing	O
Genesis	O
,	O
expanding	O
its	O
power	O
with	O
two	O
32-bit	O
SuperH-2	O
processors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
Consumer	O
Electronics	O
show	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
basic	O
design	O
of	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
in	O
place	O
,	O
Sega	O
Enterprises	O
invited	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
to	O
assist	O
in	O
development	O
of	O
the	O
new	O
add-on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
new	O
unit	O
was	O
a	O
stronger	O
console	B-Device
than	O
originally	O
proposed	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
compatible	O
with	O
Saturn	B-Device
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
could	O
be	O
launched	O
,	O
the	O
release	O
date	O
of	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
was	O
announced	O
for	O
November	O
1994	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
coinciding	O
with	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
's	O
target	O
launch	O
date	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
now	O
was	O
faced	O
with	O
trying	O
to	O
market	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
with	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
's	O
Japan	O
release	O
occurring	O
simultaneously	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
answer	O
was	O
to	O
call	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
a	O
"	O
transitional	O
device	O
"	O
between	O
the	O
Genesis	O
and	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
justified	O
by	O
Sega	O
's	O
statement	O
that	O
both	O
platforms	O
would	O
run	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
would	O
be	O
aimed	O
at	O
players	O
who	O
could	O
not	O
afford	O
the	O
more	O
expensive	O
Saturn	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
32X	B-Device
was	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
1994	O
,	O
in	O
time	O
for	O
the	O
holiday	O
season	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
More	O
than	O
1,000,000	O
orders	O
had	O
been	O
placed	O
for	O
32X	B-Device
units	O
,	O
but	O
Sega	O
had	O
only	O
managed	O
to	O
ship	O
600,000	O
units	O
by	O
January	O
1995	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Launching	O
at	O
about	O
the	O
same	O
price	O
as	O
a	O
Genesis	O
console	B-Device
,	O
the	O
price	O
of	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
was	O
less	O
than	O
half	O
of	O
what	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
's	O
price	O
would	O
be	O
at	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
positioning	O
the	O
console	B-Device
as	O
an	O
inexpensive	O
entry	O
into	O
32-bit	O
gaming	O
,	O
Sega	O
had	O
a	O
difficult	O
time	O
convincing	O
third-party	O
developers	O
to	O
create	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
new	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
an	O
early	O
run	O
on	O
the	O
peripheral	O
,	O
news	O
soon	O
spread	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
of	O
the	O
upcoming	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
,	O
which	O
would	O
not	O
support	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
's	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Saturn	B-Device
was	O
released	O
on	O
May	O
11	O
,	O
1995	O
,	O
four	O
months	O
earlier	O
than	O
its	O
originally	O
intended	O
release	O
date	O
of	O
September	O
2	O
,	O
1995	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Saturn	B-Device
,	O
in	O
turn	O
,	O
caused	O
developers	O
to	O
further	O
shy	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
console	B-Device
and	O
created	O
doubt	O
about	O
the	O
library	O
for	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
,	O
even	O
with	O
Sega	O
's	O
assurances	O
that	O
there	O
would	O
be	O
a	O
large	O
number	O
of	O
games	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
early	O
1996	O
,	O
Sega	O
conceded	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
promised	O
too	O
much	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
and	O
decided	O
to	O
stop	O
producing	O
the	O
system	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prices	O
for	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
dropped	O
to	O
and	O
cleared	O
out	O
of	O
stores	O
at	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1993	O
,	O
Sega	O
introduced	O
a	O
smaller	O
,	O
lighter	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
console	B-Device
,	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
II	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
Europe	O
,	O
and	O
Australia	O
and	O
sold	O
as	O
Genesis	O
(	O
without	O
the	O
Sega	O
prefix	O
)	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
version	O
omits	O
the	O
headphone	B-Device
jack	I-Device
,	O
replaces	O
the	O
A/V	O
-Out	O
connector	O
with	O
a	O
smaller	O
version	O
that	O
supports	O
stereo	O
sound	O
,	O
and	O
provides	O
a	O
simpler	O
,	O
less	O
expensive	O
mainboard	B-Device
that	O
requires	O
less	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
unit	O
retailed	O
at	O
;	O
this	O
was	O
roughly	O
more	O
than	O
the	O
individual	O
Genesis	O
and	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
units	O
put	O
together	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
had	O
been	O
reduced	O
to	O
half	O
a	O
year	O
before	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
CDX	O
was	O
bundled	O
with	O
Sonic	B-Application
CD	I-Application
,	O
Sega	O
Classics	O
Arcade	O
Collection	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
version	O
of	O
Ecco	B-Application
the	I-Application
Dolphin	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
CDX	O
features	O
a	O
small	O
LCD	B-Device
screen	I-Device
that	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
unit	O
is	O
used	O
to	O
play	O
audio	O
CDs	O
,	O
displays	O
the	O
current	O
track	O
being	O
played	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Late	O
in	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Application
era	I-Application
,	O
Sega	O
released	O
a	O
handheld	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Device
Nomad	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
design	O
was	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Mega	B-Device
Jet	I-Device
,	O
a	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
portable	O
unit	O
featured	O
on	O
airplane	O
flights	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
only	O
successor	O
to	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
,	O
the	O
Nomad	O
operates	O
on	O
6	O
AA	B-Algorithm
batteries	I-Algorithm
,	O
displaying	O
its	O
graphics	O
on	O
a	O
3.25-inch	O
(	O
8.25-mm	O
)	O
LCD	B-Device
screen	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Nomad	O
supports	O
the	O
entire	O
Genesis	O
library	O
(	O
save	O
for	O
one	B-Application
game	I-Application
that	O
requires	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
reset	O
button	O
,	O
which	O
the	O
Nomad	O
lacks	O
)	O
,	O
but	O
cannot	O
be	O
used	O
with	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
32X	I-Device
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
,	O
or	O
the	O
Power	O
Base	O
Converter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Exclusive	O
to	O
the	O
Japanese	O
market	O
was	O
the	O
TeraDrive	B-Device
,	O
a	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
combined	O
with	O
an	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
compatible	O
computer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
also	O
produced	O
three	O
arcade	B-Application
system	I-Application
boards	I-Application
based	O
on	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
:	O
the	O
System	O
C-2	O
,	O
the	O
MegaTech	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
MegaPlay	B-Application
,	O
which	O
support	O
approximately	O
80	O
games	O
combined	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Designed	O
by	O
JVC	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
Genesis	O
and	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
combination	O
with	O
high	O
quality	O
audio	O
,	O
the	O
Wondermega	O
's	O
high	O
price	O
( $500	O
at	O
launch	O
)	O
kept	O
it	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
hands	O
of	O
average	O
consumers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
same	O
was	O
true	O
of	O
the	O
Pioneer	B-Device
LaserActive	I-Device
,	O
which	O
requires	O
an	O
add-on	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Mega-LD	O
pack	O
,	O
developed	O
by	O
Sega	O
,	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
play	O
Genesis	O
and	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
LaserActive	B-Device
was	O
lined	O
up	O
to	O
compete	O
with	O
the	O
3DO	B-Device
Interactive	I-Device
Multiplayer	I-Device
,	O
the	O
combined	O
price	O
of	O
the	O
system	O
and	O
the	O
Mega-LD	O
pack	O
made	O
it	O
a	O
prohibitively	O
expensive	O
option	O
for	O
Sega	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
companies	O
added	O
the	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
to	O
personal	B-Device
computers	I-Device
,	O
mimicking	O
the	O
design	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
TeraDrive	B-Device
;	O
these	O
include	O
the	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
models	O
AX-330	O
and	O
AX-990	O
,	O
distributed	O
in	O
Kuwait	O
and	O
Yemen	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Amstrad	B-Device
Mega	I-Device
PC	I-Device
,	O
distributed	O
in	O
Europe	O
and	O
Australia	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2009	O
,	O
AtGames	O
began	O
producing	O
two	O
new	O
variations	O
:	O
the	O
Firecore	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
play	O
original	O
Genesis	O
cartridges	B-Protocol
as	O
well	O
as	O
preloaded	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
handheld	B-Application
console	I-Application
preloaded	O
with	O
20	O
Genesis	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Companies	O
such	O
as	O
Radica	O
Games	O
have	O
released	O
various	O
compilations	O
of	O
Genesis	O
and	O
Mega	O
Drive	O
games	O
in	O
"	O
plug-and-play	B-Device
"	O
packages	O
resembling	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
controller	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GameTap	B-Operating_System
subscription	O
gaming	O
service	O
included	O
a	O
Genesis	O
emulator	O
and	O
had	O
several	O
dozen	O
licensed	O
Genesis	O
games	O
in	O
its	O
catalog	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Console	B-Device
Classix	O
subscription	O
gaming	O
service	O
includes	O
an	O
emulator	O
and	O
has	O
several	O
hundred	O
Genesis	O
games	O
in	O
its	O
catalog	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
include	O
Sonic	B-Device
Mega	I-Device
Collection	I-Device
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
Gems	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
for	O
PS2	B-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
GameCube	B-Application
;	O
Sega	O
Genesis	O
Collection	O
for	O
PS2	B-Device
and	O
PSP	B-Operating_System
;	O
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
Genesis	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
(	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Sega	B-Application
Mega	I-Application
Drive	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
in	O
PAL	B-Language
territories	O
)	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
his	O
keynote	O
speech	O
at	O
the	O
2006	O
Game	O
Developers	O
Conference	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
president	O
Satoru	O
Iwata	O
announced	O
that	O
Sega	O
would	O
make	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
Genesis/Mega	O
Drive	O
games	O
available	O
to	O
download	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
select	O
Genesis	O
games	O
available	O
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
through	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
,	O
such	O
as	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
games	O
available	O
via	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
and	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
22	O
,	O
2006	O
,	O
North	O
American	O
company	O
Super	O
Fighter	O
Team	O
released	O
Beggar	B-Application
Prince	I-Application
,	O
a	O
game	O
translated	O
from	O
a	O
1996	O
Chinese	O
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Super	O
Fighter	O
Team	O
would	O
later	O
go	O
on	O
to	O
release	O
two	O
more	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
,	O
Legend	B-Application
of	I-Application
Wukong	I-Application
and	O
Star	B-Application
Odyssey	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
December	O
2010	O
,	O
WaterMelon	B-Application
,	O
an	O
American	O
company	O
,	O
released	O
Pier	B-Application
Solar	I-Application
and	I-Application
the	I-Application
Great	I-Application
Architects	I-Application
,	O
the	O
first	O
commercial	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
specifically	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
console	B-Device
since	O
1996	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
the	O
biggest	O
16-bit	B-Application
game	O
ever	O
produced	O
for	O
the	O
console	B-Device
at	O
the	O
time	O
at	O
64	O
Mb	O
(	O
roughly	O
8	O
Megabytes	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pier	B-Application
Solar	I-Application
is	O
the	O
only	O
cartridge-based	B-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
which	O
can	O
optionally	O
use	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
to	O
play	O
an	O
enhanced	O
soundtrack	O
and	O
sound	O
effects	O
disc	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2017	O
,	O
American	O
company	O
Mega	O
Cat	O
Games	O
released	O
Coffee	B-Application
Crisis	I-Application
,	O
a	O
Beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
,	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	O
Genesis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
console	B-Device
has	O
87	O
built-in	O
games	O
,	O
including	O
some	O
from	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
mobile	B-Application
phone	I-Application
versions	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2016	O
,	O
Tectoy	O
announced	O
that	O
they	O
had	O
developed	O
a	O
new	O
Genesis	O
console	B-Device
that	O
not	O
only	O
looks	O
almost	O
identical	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
model	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
has	O
a	O
traditional	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
slot	O
and	O
SD	B-Device
card	I-Device
reader	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
June	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2009	O
,	O
Chinese	O
company	O
AtGames	O
produced	O
a	O
Genesis/Mega	O
Drive-compatible	O
console	B-Device
,	O
the	O
Firecore	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
features	O
a	O
top-loading	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
slot	O
and	O
includes	O
two	O
controllers	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
six-button	O
controller	O
for	O
the	O
original	O
Genesis	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
console	B-Device
has	O
15	O
games	O
built-in	O
and	O
is	O
region-free	O
,	O
allowing	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
games	O
to	O
run	O
regardless	O
of	O
their	O
region	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AtGames	O
produced	O
a	O
handheld	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
console	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
machines	O
have	O
been	O
released	O
in	O
Europe	O
by	O
distributing	O
company	O
Blaze	B-Application
Europe	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2018	O
,	O
Sega	O
announced	O
a	O
dedicated	B-Device
console	I-Device
,	O
the	O
Genesis/Mega	B-Application
Drive	I-Application
Mini	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
console	B-Device
includes	O
40	O
games	O
,	O
including	O
Gunstar	B-Application
Heroes	I-Application
and	O
Castlevania	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bloodlines	I-Application
,	O
with	O
different	O
games	O
for	O
different	O
regions	O
and	O
a	O
save-anywhere	O
function	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Streets	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
composer	O
Yuzo	O
Koshiro	O
provided	O
the	O
menu	O
music	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
console	B-Device
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
on	O
September	O
19	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Crowdfunded	O
Sega	O
Genesis	O
games	O
have	O
been	O
released	O
in	O
recent	O
years	O
,	O
with	O
Tanglewood	B-Application
,	O
a	O
puzzle	O
platformer	O
being	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
14	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
and	O
Xeno	B-Application
Crisis	I-Application
released	O
on	O
October	O
28	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
16	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
Paprium	B-Application
,	O
WaterMelon	B-Application
's	O
follow	O
up	O
game	O
to	O
Pier	B-Application
Solar	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
after	O
nearly	O
a	O
decade	O
in	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewing	O
the	O
Genesis	O
in	O
1995	O
,	O
Game	B-Device
Players	I-Device
noted	O
that	O
its	O
rivalry	O
with	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
was	O
skewed	O
by	O
genre	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
Genesis	O
having	O
superior	O
sports	O
games	O
and	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
superior	O
RPGs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Commenting	O
that	O
the	O
Genesis	O
hardware	O
was	O
aging	O
and	O
the	O
new	O
software	O
drying	O
up	O
,	O
they	O
recommended	O
consumers	O
buy	O
a	O
next-generation	O
system	O
or	O
a	O
Genesis	B-Device
Nomad	I-Device
instead	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
advised	O
those	O
who	O
already	O
owned	O
a	O
Genesis	O
to	O
not	O
sell	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
their	O
chief	O
criticisms	O
were	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
upcoming	O
game	O
releases	O
and	O
dated	O
hardware	O
,	O
they	O
also	O
concurred	O
that	O
the	O
Genesis	O
was	O
clearly	O
inferior	O
to	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
in	O
terms	O
of	O
graphics	O
capabilities	O
,	O
sound	O
chip	O
,	O
and	O
games	O
library	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
John	O
Ricciardi	O
,	O
in	O
particular	O
,	O
considered	O
the	O
Genesis	O
overrated	O
,	O
saying	O
he	O
had	O
consistently	O
found	O
more	O
enjoyment	O
in	O
both	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
NES	I-Application
and	O
TurboGrafx-16	B-General_Concept
,	O
while	O
Dan	O
Hsu	O
and	O
Crispin	O
Boyer	O
recommended	O
it	O
based	O
on	O
its	O
selection	O
of	O
classic	O
titles	O
and	O
the	O
high	O
value-for-money	O
of	O
the	O
six	O
pack-in	O
games	O
Sega	O
was	O
offering	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Genesis	O
has	O
often	O
ranked	O
among	O
the	O
best	O
video	B-Application
game	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2009	O
,	O
IGN	O
named	O
it	O
the	O
fifth	O
best	O
video	B-Application
game	I-Application
console	I-Application
,	O
citing	O
its	O
edge	O
in	O
sports	O
games	O
and	O
better	O
home	O
version	O
of	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
,	O
and	O
lauding	O
"	O
what	O
some	O
consider	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
greatest	O
controller	O
ever	O
created	O
:	O
the	O
six	O
button	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2007	O
,	O
GameTrailers	O
named	O
the	O
Genesis	O
as	O
the	O
sixth	O
best	O
console	B-Device
of	O
all	O
time	O
in	O
their	O
list	O
of	O
top	O
ten	O
consoles	O
that	O
"	O
left	O
their	O
mark	O
on	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
gaming	O
"	O
,	O
noting	O
its	O
great	O
games	O
and	O
solid	O
controller	O
,	O
and	O
writing	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
glory	O
days	O
"	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
2008	O
,	O
technology	O
columnist	O
Don	O
Reisinger	O
proclaimed	O
that	O
the	O
Genesis	O
"	O
created	O
the	O
industry	O
's	O
best	O
console	B-Device
war	O
to	O
date	O
"	O
,	O
citing	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
,	O
superior	O
sports	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
backward	B-General_Concept
compatibility	I-General_Concept
with	O
the	O
Sega	O
Master	O
System	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2014	O
,	O
USgamer	O
's	O
Jeremy	O
Parish	O
wrote	O
,	O
"	O
If	O
the	O
Atari	B-Application
generation	I-Application
introduced	O
video	O
games	O
as	O
a	O
short-lived	O
'	O
70s	O
fad	O
...	O
and	O
the	O
NES	B-Application
generation	I-Application
established	O
it	O
into	O
an	O
enduring	O
obsession	O
for	O
the	O
young	O
,	O
Sega	O
's	O
Genesis	O
began	O
pushing	O
the	O
medium	O
toward	O
something	O
resembling	O
its	O
contemporary	O
form	O
"	O
,	O
expounding	O
that	O
the	O
system	O
served	O
as	O
"	O
the	O
key	O
incubator	O
for	O
modern	O
sports	O
franchises	O
"	O
,	O
made	O
"	O
consoles	O
truly	O
international	O
"	O
by	O
providing	O
Western	O
third-parties	O
previously	O
put	O
at	O
a	O
disadvantage	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
restrictive	O
licensing	O
policies	O
with	O
a	O
more	O
profitable	O
alternative	O
,	O
created	O
"	O
an	O
online	O
subscription	O
service	O
"	O
that	O
foreshadowed	O
"	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Plus	O
more	O
than	O
15	O
years	O
early	O
"	O
with	O
the	O
Sega	B-Application
Channel	I-Application
,	O
and	O
"	O
played	O
a	O
key	O
role	O
in	O
ensuring	O
the	O
vitality	O
and	O
future	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
industry	O
by	O
breaking	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
near-monopolistic	O
hold	O
on	O
the	O
U.S.	O
and	O
awakening	O
the	O
U.K.	O
to	O
the	O
merits	O
of	O
television	O
gaming	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
his	O
part	O
,	O
Kalinske	O
highlighted	O
Sega	O
's	O
role	O
in	O
developing	O
games	O
for	O
an	O
older	O
demographic	O
and	O
pioneering	O
"	O
the	O
concept	O
of	O
the	O
'	O
street	O
date	O
with	O
the	O
simultaneous	O
North	O
American	O
and	O
European	O
release	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
