Sega created two network services to support the Genesis: Sega Meganet and Sega Channel. It was released in several different versions, some created by third parties. Several add-ons were released, including a Power Base Converter to play Master System games. It plays a library of more than 900 games created by Sega and a wide array of third-party publishers delivered on ROM-based cartridges. This game is part of a large collection of Mega Drive games in The Strong's collection that represent nearly 100% of all games released for that system.The Sega Genesis, known as the Mega Driveĭesigned by an R&D team supervised by Hideki Sato and Masami Ishikawa, the Genesis was adapted from Sega's System 16 arcade board, centered on a Motorola 68000 processor as the CPU, a Zilog Z80 as a sound controller, and a video system supporting hardware sprites, tiles, and scrolling. Mega Drive games also received re-release as part of collector's editions for the Sony PS2 and PSP, and other systems, as well as being available for download on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console. Games continued to be released internationally as recently as 2002. The first successful 16-bit system, the Mega Drive's 14-year lifespan places it second only to the Nintendo Game Boy. With seven distinct versions, it also has the largest number of licensed versions of any console. The Mega Drive/Genesis also supported a number of add-on components (32X, CD, Power Base Converter), making it one of the most flexible systems ever developed. The Genesis could do things that the NES simply couldn't. Sega also focused attention on its better graphics, speed, and sound, especially after the release of Sonic.

These efforts were often successful, as Sega marketed the Genesis as hip, cool, and edgy. In addition to porting over popular coin-op games, Sega executives worked hard to lure developers away from Nintendo. Dubbed the Genesis, this version was developed with the American market and consumer in mind. A year later, Sega released the Mega Drive in the United States. Released in 1988, the Sega Mega Drive heralded the coming of the 16-bit era and inaugurated the Console Wars of the 1990s.

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