<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
,	O
released	O
as	O
the	O
in	O
most	O
regions	O
outside	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Brazil	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
accessory	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
developed	O
and	O
produced	O
by	O
Sega	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
fourth	B-Application
generation	I-Application
of	I-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
plays	O
CD	O
games	O
and	O
adds	O
hardware	O
functionality	O
such	O
as	O
a	O
faster	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
and	O
graphic	O
enhancements	O
such	O
as	O
sprite	O
scaling	B-Algorithm
and	O
rotation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
sought	O
to	O
match	O
the	O
capabilities	O
of	O
the	O
competing	O
PC	O
Engine	O
CD-ROM²	O
System	O
,	O
and	O
added	O
an	O
additional	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
and	O
custom	O
graphics	O
chip	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
partnered	O
with	O
JVC	O
to	O
design	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
was	O
redesigned	O
several	O
times	O
by	O
Sega	O
and	O
licensed	O
third	O
parties	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
benefit	O
of	O
CD	O
technology	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
was	O
greater	O
storage	B-General_Concept
;	O
CDs	O
offered	O
more	O
than	O
320	O
times	O
more	O
space	O
than	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
cartridges	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
benefit	O
manifested	O
as	O
full-motion	B-Application
video	I-Application
(	O
FMV	O
)	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
controversial	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
,	O
which	O
became	O
a	O
focus	O
of	O
the	O
1993	O
congressional	O
hearings	O
on	O
issues	O
of	O
video	O
game	O
violence	O
and	O
ratings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
game	O
library	O
features	O
acclaimed	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Sonic	B-Application
CD	I-Application
,	O
Lunar	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Silver	I-Application
Star	I-Application
,	O
Lunar	B-Application
:	I-Application
Eternal	I-Application
Blue	I-Application
,	O
Popful	B-Application
Mail	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Snatcher	B-Application
,	O
but	O
also	O
many	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
ports	O
and	O
poorly	O
received	O
FMV	B-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Only	O
2.24	O
million	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
units	O
were	O
sold	O
,	O
after	O
which	O
Sega	O
discontinued	O
it	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
's	O
poor	O
support	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
has	O
been	O
criticized	O
as	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
devaluation	O
of	O
its	O
brand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Released	O
in	O
1988	O
,	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
(	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
in	O
most	O
territories	O
outside	O
of	O
North	O
America	O
)	O
was	O
Sega	O
's	O
entry	O
into	O
the	O
fourth	B-Application
generation	I-Application
of	I-Application
video	I-Application
game	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
early	O
1990s	O
,	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
CEO	O
Tom	O
Kalinske	O
helped	O
make	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
a	O
success	O
by	O
cutting	O
the	O
price	O
,	O
developing	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
American	O
market	O
with	O
a	O
new	O
American	O
team	O
,	O
continuing	O
aggressive	O
advertising	O
campaigns	O
,	O
and	O
selling	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
with	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
as	O
a	O
pack-in	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
early	O
1990s	O
,	O
compact	O
discs	O
(	O
CDs	O
)	O
were	O
making	O
headway	O
as	O
a	O
storage	B-General_Concept
medium	I-General_Concept
for	O
music	O
and	O
video	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
NEC	O
had	O
been	O
the	O
first	O
to	O
use	O
CD	O
technology	O
in	O
a	O
video	B-Application
game	I-Application
console	I-Application
with	O
their	O
PC	O
Engine	O
CD-ROM²	O
System	O
add-on	O
in	O
October	O
1988	O
in	O
Japan	O
(	O
launched	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
as	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-CD	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
sold	O
80,000	O
units	O
in	O
six	O
months	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
That	O
year	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
announced	O
a	O
partnership	O
with	O
Sony	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
peripheral	I-Device
for	O
the	O
Super	B-Application
Nintendo	I-Application
Entertainment	I-Application
System	I-Application
(	O
SNES	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Commodore	O
International	O
released	O
their	O
CD-based	O
CDTV	B-Device
multimedia	O
system	O
in	O
early	O
1991	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
CD-i	B-Device
from	O
Philips	O
arrived	O
later	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Nick	O
Thorpe	O
of	O
Retro	O
Gamer	O
,	O
Sega	O
would	O
have	O
received	O
criticism	O
from	O
investors	O
and	O
observers	O
had	O
it	O
not	O
developed	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
game	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
,	O
Sega	O
's	O
Consumer	O
Products	O
Research	O
and	O
Development	O
Labs	O
,	O
led	O
by	O
manager	O
Tomio	O
Takami	O
,	O
were	O
tasked	O
with	O
creating	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
add-on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
originally	O
intended	O
to	O
equal	O
the	O
capabilities	O
of	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-CD	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
twice	O
as	O
much	O
random-access	B-Architecture
memory	I-Architecture
(	O
RAM	B-Architecture
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
relatively	O
short	O
loading	O
times	O
,	O
Takami	O
's	O
team	O
planned	O
to	O
implement	O
hardware	O
scaling	B-Algorithm
and	O
rotation	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Sega	B-Application
's	I-Application
arcade	I-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
which	O
required	O
a	O
dedicated	O
digital	B-Architecture
signal	I-Architecture
processor	I-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Kalinske	O
,	O
Sega	O
was	O
ambitious	O
about	O
what	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
technology	O
would	O
do	O
for	O
video	O
games	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
potential	O
for	O
"	O
movie	O
graphics	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
rock	O
and	O
roll	O
concert	O
sound	O
"	O
and	O
3D	O
animation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
 '	O
Motorola	B-Device
68000	I-Device
CPU	B-General_Concept
was	O
too	O
slow	O
to	O
handle	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
new	O
graphical	O
capabilities	O
,	O
an	O
additional	O
68000	B-Device
CPU	B-General_Concept
was	O
incorporated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
second	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
has	O
a	O
clock	O
speed	O
of	O
12.5	O
MHz	O
,	O
faster	O
than	O
the	O
7.67	O
MHz	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
in	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Responding	O
to	O
rumors	O
that	O
NEC	O
planned	O
a	O
memory	O
upgrade	O
to	O
bring	O
the	O
TurboGrafx-CD	O
RAM	B-Architecture
from	O
0.5	O
Mbit	O
to	O
between	O
2	O
and	O
4	O
Mbit	O
,	O
Sega	O
increased	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
available	O
RAM	B-Architecture
from	O
1	O
Mbit	O
to	O
6	O
Mbit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
proved	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
technical	O
challenge	O
,	O
since	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
RAM	B-Architecture
access	O
speed	O
was	O
initially	O
too	O
slow	O
to	O
run	O
programs	O
effectively	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
developers	O
had	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
increasing	O
the	O
speed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
did	O
n't	O
want	O
to	O
send	O
us	O
working	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Latham	O
and	O
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
vice	O
president	O
of	O
licensing	O
Shinobu	O
Toyoda	O
assembled	O
a	O
functioning	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
by	O
acquiring	O
a	O
ROM	B-Device
for	O
the	O
system	O
and	O
installing	O
it	O
in	O
a	O
dummy	O
unit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
American	O
staff	O
were	O
frustrated	O
by	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
construction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Former	O
senior	O
producer	O
Scot	O
Bayless	O
said	O
:	O
"[It]	O
was	O
designed	O
with	O
a	O
cheap	O
,	O
consumer-grade	O
audio	O
CD	O
drive	O
,	O
not	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
early	O
as	O
1990	O
,	O
magazines	O
were	O
covering	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
expansion	O
for	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
announced	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
in	O
Japan	O
for	O
late	O
1991	O
,	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
(	O
as	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
)	O
in	O
1992	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
sold	O
quickly	O
,	O
the	O
small	O
install	O
base	O
of	O
the	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
in	O
Japan	O
meant	O
that	O
sales	O
declined	O
rapidly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Within	O
its	O
first	O
three	O
months	O
,	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
sold	O
200,000	O
units	O
,	O
but	O
only	O
sold	O
an	O
additional	O
200,000	O
over	O
the	O
next	O
three	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Third-party	O
game	O
development	O
suffered	O
because	O
Sega	O
took	O
a	O
long	O
time	O
to	O
release	O
software	B-Application
development	I-Application
kits	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
factors	O
affecting	O
sales	O
included	O
the	O
high	O
launch	O
price	O
of	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
only	O
two	O
games	O
available	O
at	O
launch	O
,	O
with	O
only	O
five	O
published	O
by	O
Sega	O
within	O
the	O
first	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
15	O
,	O
1992	O
,	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	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
</s>
<s>
Though	O
only	O
50,000	O
units	O
were	O
available	O
at	O
launch	O
due	O
to	O
production	O
problems	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
sold	O
over	O
200,000	O
units	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1992	O
and	O
300,000	O
by	O
July	O
1993	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
part	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
sales	O
,	O
Blockbuster	O
LLC	O
purchased	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
units	O
for	O
rental	O
in	O
their	O
stores	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
emphasized	O
that	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
additional	O
storage	B-General_Concept
space	O
allowed	O
for	O
full-motion	B-Application
video	I-Application
(	O
FMV	O
)	O
games	O
,	O
with	O
Digital	B-Algorithm
Pictures	I-Algorithm
becoming	O
an	O
important	O
partner	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
initial	O
competition	O
between	O
Sega	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
CD-based	O
add-on	O
,	O
Nintendo	O
canceled	O
development	O
of	O
a	O
CD	O
add-on	O
for	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
after	O
having	O
partnered	O
with	O
Sony	O
and	O
then	O
Philips	O
to	O
develop	O
one	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
was	O
launched	O
in	O
Europe	O
in	O
April	O
1993	O
,	O
starting	O
with	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
on	O
April	O
2	O
,	O
1993	O
,	O
at	O
a	O
price	O
of	O
GB	O
£269.99	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
European	O
version	O
was	O
packaged	O
with	O
Sol-Feace	B-Application
and	O
Cobra	B-Application
Command	I-Application
in	O
a	O
two-disc	O
set	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
compilation	O
CD	O
of	O
five	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
was	O
released	O
in	O
Australia	O
in	O
March	O
1993	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brazilian	O
toy	O
company	O
Tectoy	O
released	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
in	O
Brazil	O
in	O
October	O
1993	O
,	O
retaining	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
name	O
despite	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
name	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
for	O
the	O
base	O
console	O
there	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
released	O
a	O
second	O
model	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
2	O
(	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
2	O
)	O
,	O
on	O
April	O
23	O
,	O
1993	O
,	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
several	O
months	O
later	O
,	O
bundled	O
with	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
bestselling	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
games	O
,	O
Sewer	B-Application
Shark	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Designed	O
to	O
bring	O
down	O
the	O
manufacturing	O
costs	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
,	O
the	O
newer	O
model	O
is	O
smaller	O
and	O
does	O
not	O
use	O
a	O
motorized	O
disc	O
tray	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
limited	O
number	O
of	O
games	O
were	O
developed	O
that	O
used	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
and	O
another	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
add-on	O
,	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
,	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
1994	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
game	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
,	O
an	O
FMV	B-Application
adventure	I-Application
game	I-Application
by	O
Digital	B-Algorithm
Pictures	I-Algorithm
,	O
was	O
at	O
the	O
center	O
of	O
debate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
had	O
been	O
brought	O
to	O
the	O
attention	O
of	O
United	O
States	O
Senator	O
Joe	O
Lieberman	O
,	O
who	O
said	O
:	O
"	O
It	O
ends	O
with	O
this	O
attack	O
scene	O
on	O
this	O
woman	O
in	O
lingerie	O
,	O
in	O
her	O
bathroom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
I	O
know	O
that	O
the	O
creator	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
said	O
it	O
was	O
all	O
meant	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
satire	O
of	O
Dracula	B-Application
;	O
but	O
nonetheless	O
,	O
I	O
thought	O
it	O
sent	O
out	O
the	O
wrong	O
message.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
was	O
discussed	O
in	O
parliament	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Former	O
Sega	O
Europe	O
development	O
director	O
Mike	O
Brogan	O
noted	O
that	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
brought	O
Sega	O
publicity	O
,	O
and	O
helped	O
reinforce	O
Sega	O
's	O
image	O
as	O
an	O
"	O
edgy	O
company	O
with	O
attitude	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
the	O
increased	O
sales	O
,	O
Sega	O
recalled	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
and	O
rereleased	O
it	O
with	O
revisions	O
in	O
1994	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
1993	O
,	O
sales	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
had	O
stalled	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
were	O
slowing	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Europe	O
,	O
sales	O
of	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
games	O
were	O
outpaced	O
by	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
CD32	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Newer	O
CD-based	O
consoles	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
3DO	B-Device
Interactive	I-Device
Multiplayer	I-Device
rendered	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
technically	O
obsolete	O
,	O
reducing	O
public	O
interest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
late	O
1993	O
,	O
less	O
than	O
a	O
year	O
after	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
had	O
launched	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
,	O
the	O
media	O
reported	O
that	O
Sega	O
was	O
no	O
longer	O
accepting	O
in-house	O
development	O
proposals	O
for	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kalinske	O
blamed	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
high	O
price	O
for	O
limiting	O
its	O
potential	O
market	O
;	O
Sega	O
attempted	O
to	O
add	O
value	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
and	O
the	O
UK	O
by	O
bundling	O
more	O
games	O
,	O
with	O
some	O
packages	O
including	O
up	O
to	O
five	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
early	O
1995	O
,	O
Sega	O
shifted	O
its	O
focus	O
to	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
and	O
discontinued	O
advertising	O
for	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
hardware	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
discontinued	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
in	O
the	O
first	O
quarter	O
of	O
1996	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
it	O
needed	O
to	O
concentrate	O
on	O
fewer	O
platforms	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
could	O
not	O
compete	O
due	O
to	O
its	O
high	O
price	O
and	O
outdated	O
single-speed	O
drive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Thorpe	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
only	O
reached	O
a	O
more	O
popular	O
price	O
point	O
in	O
1995	O
,	O
by	O
which	O
time	O
customers	O
were	O
willing	O
to	O
wait	O
for	O
newer	O
consoles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
last	O
scheduled	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
games	O
,	O
ports	O
of	O
Myst	B-Application
and	O
Brain	B-Application
Dead	I-Application
13	I-Application
,	O
were	O
cancelled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
2.24	O
million	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
units	O
were	O
sold	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
can	O
only	O
be	O
used	O
in	O
conjunction	O
with	O
a	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
system	O
,	O
attaching	O
through	O
an	O
expansion	O
slot	O
on	O
the	O
side	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
core	O
feature	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
is	O
the	O
increase	O
in	O
data	B-General_Concept
storage	I-General_Concept
by	O
its	O
games	O
being	O
CD-ROMs	B-Device
;	O
whereas	O
ROM	B-Protocol
cartridges	I-Protocol
of	O
the	O
day	O
typically	O
contained	O
8	O
to	O
16	O
megabits	O
of	O
data	O
,	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
disc	O
can	O
hold	O
more	O
than	O
640	O
megabytes	O
of	O
data	O
,	O
more	O
than	O
320	O
times	O
the	O
storage	B-General_Concept
of	O
a	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
cartridge	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
increase	O
in	O
storage	B-General_Concept
allows	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
to	O
play	O
FMV	B-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
playing	O
its	O
own	O
library	O
of	O
games	O
in	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
format	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
can	O
also	O
play	O
compact	O
discs	O
and	O
karaoke	O
CD+G	O
discs	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
in	O
conjunction	O
with	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
to	O
play	O
32-bit	O
games	O
that	O
use	O
both	O
add-ons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
model	O
,	O
also	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
2	O
,	O
includes	O
a	O
steel	O
joining	O
plate	O
to	O
be	O
screwed	O
into	O
the	O
bottom	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
and	O
an	O
extension	O
spacer	O
to	O
work	O
with	O
the	O
original	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
model	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
CPU	B-General_Concept
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
is	O
a	O
12.5MHz	O
16-bit	B-Device
Motorola	B-Device
68000	I-Device
processor	I-Device
,	O
which	O
runs	O
5MHz	O
faster	O
than	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
processor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
contains	O
1	O
Mbit	O
of	O
boot	B-Operating_System
ROM	B-Device
,	O
allocated	O
for	O
the	O
CD	O
game	O
BIOS	B-Operating_System
,	O
CD	O
player	O
software	O
,	O
and	O
compatibility	O
with	O
CD+G	O
discs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
6	O
Mbit	O
of	O
RAM	B-Architecture
is	O
allocated	O
to	O
data	O
for	O
programs	O
,	O
pictures	O
,	O
and	O
sounds	O
;	O
128	O
Kbit	O
to	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
data	O
cache	B-General_Concept
memory	I-General_Concept
;	O
and	O
an	O
additional	O
64	O
Kbit	O
is	O
allocated	O
as	O
the	O
backup	O
memory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additional	O
backup	O
memory	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
a	O
1	O
Mbit	O
Backup	O
RAM	B-Architecture
Cartridge	B-Protocol
was	O
also	O
available	O
as	O
a	O
separate	O
purchase	O
,	O
released	O
near	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
system	O
's	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
graphics	O
chip	O
is	O
a	O
custom	O
ASIC	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
perform	O
similarly	O
to	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
's	O
Mode	O
7	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
handle	O
more	O
objects	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Audio	O
is	O
supplied	O
through	O
the	O
Ricoh	O
RF5C164	O
,	O
and	O
two	O
RCA	B-Protocol
pin	I-Protocol
jacks	I-Protocol
allow	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
to	O
output	O
stereophonic	O
sound	O
separate	O
from	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combining	O
stereo	O
sound	O
from	O
a	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
to	O
either	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
requires	O
a	O
cable	O
between	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
's	O
headphone	O
jack	O
and	O
an	O
input	O
jack	O
on	O
the	O
back	O
of	O
the	O
CD	O
unit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
is	O
not	O
required	O
for	O
the	O
second	O
model	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
released	O
an	O
additional	O
accessory	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
with	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
for	O
karaoke	O
,	O
including	O
a	O
microphone	O
input	O
and	O
various	O
sound	O
controls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
models	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
were	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
model	O
used	O
a	O
front-loading	O
motorized	O
disc	O
tray	O
and	O
sat	O
underneath	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
second	O
model	O
was	O
redesigned	O
to	O
sit	O
next	O
to	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
and	O
featured	O
a	O
top-loading	O
disc	O
tray	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
also	O
released	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
CDX	O
(	O
Multi-Mega	O
in	O
Europe	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
combined	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
and	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
,	O
with	O
additional	O
functionality	O
as	O
a	O
portable	O
CD	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Working	O
with	O
Sega	O
,	O
JVC	O
released	O
the	O
Wondermega	O
,	O
a	O
combination	O
of	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
and	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
with	O
high-quality	O
audio	O
,	O
on	O
April	O
1	O
,	O
1992	O
,	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
console	O
,	O
the	O
LaserActive	B-Device
by	O
Pioneer	O
Corporation	O
,	O
can	O
play	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
and	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
games	O
if	O
equipped	O
with	O
the	O
Mega-LD	O
attachment	O
developed	O
by	O
Sega	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
LaserActive	B-Device
was	O
positioned	O
to	O
compete	O
with	O
the	O
3DO	B-Device
Interactive	I-Device
Multiplayer	I-Device
,	O
but	O
the	O
combined	O
system	O
and	O
Mega-LD	O
pack	O
retailed	O
at	O
too	O
expensive	O
a	O
price	O
for	O
most	O
consumers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Aiwa	O
released	O
the	O
CSD-GM1	O
,	O
a	O
combination	O
Mega	B-Operating_System
Drive	I-Operating_System
and	O
Mega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
unit	O
built	O
into	O
a	O
boombox	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
supports	O
a	O
library	O
of	O
more	O
than	O
200	O
games	O
created	O
by	O
Sega	O
and	O
third-party	O
publishers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Six	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
games	O
were	O
also	O
released	O
in	O
versions	O
that	O
used	O
both	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
and	O
32X	B-Device
add-ons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Well	O
regarded	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
games	O
include	O
Sonic	B-Application
CD	I-Application
,	O
Lunar	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Silver	I-Application
Star	I-Application
,	O
Lunar	B-Application
:	I-Application
Eternal	I-Application
Blue	I-Application
,	O
Popful	B-Application
Mail	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Snatcher	B-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
controversial	O
Night	B-Application
Trap	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Sega	O
created	O
Streets	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rage	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
to	O
compete	O
against	O
the	O
SNES	B-Application
port	O
of	O
the	O
arcade	O
hit	O
Final	B-Application
Fight	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
received	O
an	O
enhanced	O
version	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fight	I-Application
that	O
has	O
been	O
praised	O
for	O
its	O
greater	O
faithfulness	O
to	O
the	O
arcade	O
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eternal	B-Application
Champions	I-Application
:	I-Application
Challenge	I-Application
from	I-Application
the	I-Application
Dark	I-Application
Side	I-Application
was	O
noted	O
for	O
its	O
impressive	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
hardware	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
its	O
violent	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
particular	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
CD	I-Application
garnered	O
acclaim	O
for	O
its	O
graphics	O
and	O
time	O
travel	O
gameplay	O
,	O
which	O
improved	O
upon	O
the	O
traditional	O
Sonic	B-Application
formula	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
also	O
received	O
enhanced	O
ports	O
of	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
games	O
including	O
Batman	B-Application
Returns	I-Application
and	O
Ecco	B-Application
the	I-Application
Dolphin	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
library	O
includes	O
several	O
FMV	B-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
FMV	O
quality	O
was	O
substandard	O
on	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
due	O
to	O
poor	O
video	O
compression	O
software	O
and	O
limited	O
color	O
palette	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
concept	O
never	O
caught	O
on	O
with	O
the	O
public	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Digital	B-Algorithm
Pictures	I-Algorithm
founder	O
Tom	O
Zito	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
limited	O
color	O
palette	O
created	O
"	O
a	O
horrible	O
grainy	O
look	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Likewise	O
,	O
most	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
ports	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
featured	O
additional	O
FMV	O
sequences	O
,	O
extra	O
levels	O
,	O
and	O
enhanced	O
audio	O
,	O
but	O
were	O
otherwise	O
identical	O
to	O
their	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Given	O
a	O
large	O
number	O
of	O
FMV	B-Application
games	I-Application
and	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
ports	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
game	O
library	O
has	O
been	O
criticized	O
for	O
its	O
lack	O
of	O
depth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kalinske	O
felt	O
this	O
was	O
a	O
valid	O
criticism	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
while	O
it	O
was	O
useful	O
for	O
releasing	O
collections	O
of	O
games	O
,	O
"	O
just	O
doing	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
games	O
on	O
a	O
CD-ROM	B-Device
was	O
not	O
a	O
step	O
forward	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Thorpe	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
games	O
did	O
not	O
display	O
enough	O
advancement	O
to	O
justify	O
the	O
console	O
price	O
for	O
most	O
consumers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
felt	O
that	O
FMV	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
targeted	O
toward	O
more	O
casual	O
players	O
,	O
were	O
not	O
enough	O
to	O
satisfy	O
hardcore	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Near	O
the	O
time	O
of	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
was	O
awarded	O
Best	O
New	O
Peripheral	O
of	O
1992	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Four	O
separate	O
reviews	O
scored	O
the	O
add-on	O
8	O
,	O
9	O
,	O
8	O
,	O
and	O
8	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
;	O
reviewers	O
cited	O
its	O
upgrades	O
to	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
as	O
well	O
as	O
its	O
high-quality	O
and	O
expanding	O
library	O
of	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePro	O
cited	O
the	O
same	O
problems	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
many	O
games	O
were	O
simple	O
ports	O
of	O
cartridge	B-Protocol
games	O
with	O
minimal	O
enhancements	O
;	O
GamePro	O
concluded	O
that	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
was	O
merely	O
"	O
a	O
big	O
memory	O
device	O
with	O
CD	O
sound	O
"	O
rather	O
than	O
a	O
meaningful	O
upgrade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
gave	O
it	O
a	O
"	O
thumbs	O
sideways	O
"	O
and	O
recommended	O
that	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
fans	O
buy	O
an	O
SNES	B-Application
before	O
considering	O
a	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
special	O
Game	O
Machine	O
Cross	O
Review	O
in	O
May	O
1995	O
,	O
Famicom	O
Tsūshin	O
scored	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
2	O
17	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retrospective	O
reception	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
has	O
been	O
mixed	O
,	O
praising	O
certain	O
games	O
but	O
criticizing	O
its	O
value	O
for	O
money	O
and	O
limited	O
upgrades	O
over	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
GamePro	O
,	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
is	O
the	O
seventh-lowest-selling	O
console	O
;	O
reviewer	O
Blake	O
Snow	O
wrote	O
:	O
"	O
The	O
problem	O
was	O
threefold	O
:	O
the	O
device	O
was	O
expensive	O
at	O
$299	O
,	O
it	O
arrived	O
late	O
in	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Device
life	O
cycle	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
did	O
n't	O
do	O
much	O
(	O
if	O
anything	O
)	O
to	O
enhance	O
the	O
gameplay	O
experience.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Snow	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
had	O
the	O
greatest	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
in	O
Sonic	B-Application
CD	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jeremy	O
Parish	O
of	O
USgamer	O
wrote	O
that	O
Sega	O
was	O
not	O
the	O
only	O
company	O
of	O
the	O
period	O
to	O
"	O
muddy	O
its	O
waters	O
"	O
with	O
a	O
CD	O
add-on	O
,	O
and	O
highlighted	O
some	O
"	O
gems	O
"	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
,	O
but	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
benefits	O
offered	O
by	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
had	O
to	O
be	O
balanced	O
against	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
the	O
add-on	O
more	O
than	O
doubled	O
the	O
price	O
(	O
and	O
complexity	O
)	O
of	O
the	O
[Genesis].	O
 "	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
separate	O
article	O
for	O
1Up.com,	O
Parish	O
praised	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
expansion	O
of	O
value	O
to	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
for	O
Retro	O
Gamer	O
,	O
Damien	O
McFerran	O
cited	O
various	O
reasons	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
limited	O
sales	O
,	O
including	O
its	O
price	O
,	O
lack	O
of	O
significant	O
enhancement	O
to	O
the	O
Genesis	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
that	O
fact	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
a	O
standalone	O
console	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retro	O
Gamer	O
writer	O
Aaron	O
Birch	O
,	O
defended	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
as	O
"	O
ahead	O
of	O
its	O
time	O
"	O
and	O
said	O
that	O
game	O
developers	O
had	O
failed	O
to	O
meet	O
the	O
potential	O
of	O
CD	O
technology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
's	O
poor	O
support	O
for	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
has	O
been	O
criticized	O
as	O
the	O
first	O
step	O
in	O
the	O
devaluation	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	O
brand	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Writing	O
for	O
IGN	O
,	O
Buchanan	O
said	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
,	O
released	O
without	O
a	O
strong	O
library	O
of	O
games	O
,	O
"	O
looked	O
like	O
a	O
strange	O
,	O
desperate	O
move	O
—	O
something	O
designed	O
to	O
nab	O
some	O
ink	O
but	O
without	O
any	O
real	O
,	O
thought-out	O
strategy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Genesis	B-Operating_System
owners	O
that	O
invested	O
in	O
the	O
add-on	O
were	O
sorely	O
disappointed	O
,	O
which	O
undoubtedly	O
helped	O
sour	O
the	O
non-diehards	O
on	O
the	O
brand.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
GamePro''	O
,	O
Snow	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
was	O
the	O
first	O
of	O
several	O
poorly	O
supported	O
Sega	O
systems	O
,	O
which	O
damaged	O
the	O
value	O
of	O
the	O
brand	O
and	O
ultimately	O
led	O
to	O
Sega	O
's	O
exit	O
from	O
the	O
hardware	O
market	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Thorpe	O
wrote	O
that	O
,	O
while	O
it	O
was	O
possible	O
for	O
Sega	O
to	O
have	O
brushed	O
off	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
's	O
failure	O
,	O
the	O
failure	O
of	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
and	O
the	O
32X	B-Device
together	O
damaged	O
faith	O
in	O
Sega	O
's	O
support	O
for	O
its	O
platforms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
I	O
think	O
that	O
's	O
where	O
the	O
Mega-CD	B-Device
went	O
off	O
the	O
rails	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sega	O
of	O
America	O
producer	O
Michael	O
Latham	O
said	O
he	O
"	O
loved	O
"	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
,	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
been	O
damaged	O
by	O
an	O
abundance	O
of	O
"	O
Hollywood	O
interactive	B-Application
film	I-Application
games	O
"	O
instead	O
of	O
using	O
it	O
to	O
make	O
"	O
just	O
plain	O
great	O
video	O
games	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Former	O
Sega	O
Europe	O
president	O
Nick	O
Alexander	O
said	O
:	O
"	O
The	O
Mega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
was	O
interesting	O
but	O
probably	O
misconceived	O
and	O
was	O
seen	O
very	O
much	O
as	O
the	O
interim	O
product	O
it	O
was.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Kalinske	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
CD	I-Device
had	O
been	O
an	O
important	O
learning	O
experience	O
for	O
Sega	O
for	O
programming	O
for	O
discs	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
a	O
mistake	O
but	O
not	O
"	O
as	O
dramatically	O
different	O
as	O
it	O
needed	O
to	O
be	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
