"Blast Processing" helped the Genesis do what Nintendon't.
It had a production run lasting from 1989, when it was first released in Japan, up untill 1997 when it was finally discontinued. It sold 29 Million units worldwide, 14 Million of those being sold in the USA alone and its best selling game was Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with 6 Million carts sold.
To make it seem cooler than its main opposition rival, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System or SNES, Sega's Marketing Department came up with the term "Blast Processing" to imply that the Genesis/Mega Drive had more power and was more capable of rendering sprites on screen faster than a SNES.
During its 8 year production run it was expanded upon numerous times adding a Power Base Converter, allowing it to play 8-bit Master System games, as well as the Sega CD and the 32X. A smaller model was also released later in the console life cycle, "Genesis II"
The Genesis had two main versions its controller. The first was slightly larger and had three face buttons and a slightly "sharp", hard-plastic thumb pad. Though recieved as distance, as the popularity of game's like Street Fighter II rose, there was demand to produce a six button controller.
Sega finally did release a six button controller, this one with a slightly stream-lined look and feel, a softer thumb pad, and naturally three more face buttons. Many later Genesis games recommended the use of this secondary controller (many of them fighting games), as games played with the original controller that were designed for the new six button one would need to tap the start button to switch the three face buttons to the function of the other three.
Specifications
Hardware
Processor: 8 MHz 68000 4MHz Z80B
Memory: 74K main, 64K video
Expansion port: Access to I/O bus for hardware peripherals (Mega-CD / Sega-CD etc.)
Graphics
Resolution: 320 x 224
Colours: 64 on screen, 512 colours palette
Sprites: 80
Sound: Custom FM chip, 12 channel stereo output
Genesis - Recent Games
Genesis - Upcoming Games
| Name | Platform | Developer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Michael Jackson's Moonwalker |
GEN, SMS, ARC | Sega | |
|
Legend of Wukong expected release 2008 |
GEN | ||
|
Batman Forever expected release 1995 |
GB, GG, GEN, SMS, SNES, PC | Acclaim Studios London | |
|
X-Men 2: Clone Wars expected release 1995 |
GEN | Headgames, Inc. | |
|
Comix Zone expected release 1995 |
GBA, GEN, WSHP, PC | Sega Technical Institute | |
|
NHL 95 expected release 1995 |
GEN, SNES, PC | Visual Concepts, High Score Productions, EA Sports | |
|
Mortal Kombat 3 expected release 1995 |
GB, GG, GEN, SNES, PS2, PS1, ARC, PC, RZON | Midway Games, Williams Electronic Games, Inc. | |
|
Chiki Chiki Boys expected release 1993 |
AMI, GEN, AST, ARC | Capcom | |
|
NHL '94 expected release 1993 |
GEN, SNES, SCD | EA Canada | |
|
Dragon's Fury expected release 1992 |
GEN, TG16, WSHP | Compile |
| Platform Name: | Genesis |
| Release Date: | Aug. 14, 1989 |
| Online Support: | True |
| Install Base: | 29,000,000 |
| Original Price: | $189 |
| Producing Company: | Sega |
| Total Games: | games |
|
Brett Favre first in John Madden Football '92 |
11
|
|
Sonic the Hedgehog first in Sonic the Hedgehog |
11
|
|
Dr. Eggman first in Sonic the Hedgehog |
9
|
|
Batman first in Batman |
8
|
|
John Madden first in John Madden Football |
7
|
|
Mickey Mouse first in Mickey Mouse: The Computer Game |
6
|
|
Tails first in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |
6
|
|
Spider-Man first in Spider-Man |
6
|
|
Sub-Zero first in Mortal Kombat |
5
|
|
Joe Musashi first in Shinobi |
5
|
|
Earth first in |
36
|
|
New York first in |
35
|
|
Space first in Spacewar! |
31
|
|
Chicago first in |
27
|
|
Underwater first in |
18
|
|
Seattle first in |
16
|
|
Miami first in |
15
|
|
The United States of America first in |
14
|
|
Boston first in |
14
|
|
Los Angeles first in |
13
|
|
2D first in Computer Space |
96
|
|
Jump first in Donkey Kong |
88
|
|
Health first in |
85
|
|
Side-Scrolling first in |
77
|
|
Boss Fight first in |
72
|
|
Tie-In first in |
68
|
|
Death first in |
64
|
|
Game Over first in |
63
|
|
Anthropomorphism first in |
57
|
|
Melee first in |
53
|
|
Sword first in |
48
|
|
Sports Jersey first in |
41
|
|
Gun first in |
36
|
|
Cleats first in |
30
|
|
Football first in |
23
|
|
Spaceship first in Spacewar! |
22
|
|
Car first in |
19
|
|
Basketball first in |
19
|
|
Bomb first in B-17 Bomber |
18
|
|
Soccer Ball first in Indoor Soccer for the TI 99/4A |
18
|
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