My Genesis borked :(

[Guybrush Threepwood]

The Genesis Sonic thread inspired me to play some Genesis and when I pressed the power button nothing happened.

Should I get a Model 1, 2, or 3 Genesis to replace it? I have (or had I guess) a Model 2.

Also, should I get a 6-button controller? I'm not a huge fan of fighting games so I don't really need one...

[CurseoftheGods]

1 or 2. Don't get a Model 3.

http://www.sega-16.com/feature_page.php?id=299&title=The%20Many%20Faces%20of%20Genesis:%20Model%201

I would also get a 6-button controller. They're smaller and more comfortable to hold.

[DJ_Tet]

The 6 button controller is far superior to the original Genesis batarang.  The d-pad and the buttons feel more responsive, and the whole pad fits in your mitts better.  I rarely used the 6 button aspect of the controller, but it still ranks as my favorite 'pad.'

[Great Rumbler]

Actually, what you need to get is the JVC X'Eye:



It plays Genesis and Sega CD games and is really reliable, and it's an officially licensed console so don't worry about that. They're a bit harder to find though.

[Joe Molotov]

Get the Model 1 so you can build the Genesis I Rocketship, with the Sega-CD on bottom, 32X on top, and then Sonic 3 + Knuckles to top it off.

[CurseoftheGods]

Actually, what you need to get is the JVC X'Eye:

(Image removed from quote.)

It plays Genesis and Sega CD games and is really reliable, and it's an officially licensed console so don't worry about that. They're a bit harder to find though.

I have never seen that before.

Is it region-free?

[Joe Molotov]

I have one, I'm pretty sure it's not Region Free. It'll play CD-Rs though. And I don't know if it's because JVC's custom firmware is awesome or because it has a better CD-ROM drive, but load times are a lot faster on that than on my Model 1 Sega CD I used to have.

[CurseoftheGods]

Hrm, upon further reading, it seems like an American rerelease of the CDX. It's distinguished mentally-challenged how convoluted Sega's hardware department was back then.

http://www.amazon.com/Sega-CDX-Video-Game-Console/dp/B000GHWQUY

[CurseoftheGods]

Called the Sega Wondermega in Japan:

http://ultimateconsoledatabase.com/golden/sega_wondermega.htm

[Great Rumbler]

It's definitely worth it if you can find one for about $20-$30, but from what I've been reading they're kind of rare these days.

[Enl]

I'd go with the Model 1. Headphones volume dial FTW. Also the JVC is pretty good but I don't think it works with 32x games (at least I couldn't get mine to work).

[littlemathletics]

I've never seen a Model 3 in the wild - are they common in the US?

[Great Rumbler]

I'd go with the Model 1. Headphones volume dial FTW. Also the JVC is pretty good but I don't think it works with 32x games (at least I couldn't get mine to work).

It should work just fine with 32X games.

[Joe Molotov]

I've never seen a Model 3 in the wild - are they common in the US?

Nah, not as much as the other two. The Model 3 was made by Majesco and it wasn't released until after the PSX/N64 were already out, so I it's not like they were making millions of them.

[Guybrush Threepwood]

I just bought a Model 1 with the High Definition Graphics label 

Hopefully it's non-TMSS

[littlemathletics]

Nice. How much?

[Guybrush Threepwood]

$30

It also came with a few games.

[littlemathletics]

Man, I should pick up a US one sometime. eBay?

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Yep.

What sucks though is that I found out how to tell if it has TMSS or not after I actually bought it. Oh the suspense. :sp0rsk1

[Shuri]

TMSS?

[Guybrush Threepwood]

TMSS?

Basically Sega's form of region coding.

The first version of the Model 1 (made from 1989 to ~1992 I think) didn't have TMSS, which means you can play all Japanese and European Mega Drive games on it.

[Positive Touch]

TMSS?

Basically Sega's form of region coding.

The first version of the Model 1 (made from 1989 to ~1992 I think) didn't have TMSS, which means you can play all Japanese and European Mega Drive games on it.

hoo damn I did not know that.  Is the only way to test it by sticking in a foreign cartridge?

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Actually, it's a lot easier than that.

When you turn the system on, if a black screen that says "Produced or Licensed by Sega" or something like that comes up, then your Genesis has TMSS

[Positive Touch]

mine does that!  still have the one that I bought with my allowance waaaaaay back in the day, and it still worked perfectly earlier this year.  gonna get me the eurotrash version of the Mega Man 1-3 remakes!

[Guybrush Threepwood]

TMSS is bad

[Positive Touch]

:

[Guybrush Threepwood]

If that "Produced or Licensed by Sega" screen comes up then your Genesis has TMSS which means it can't play Mega Drive games.

Although when were those Mega Man games made? I think that Mega Drive games made before TMSS existed can still be played on a Genesis with TMSS, but I may be wrong.

[tiesto]

Could you get around import lockouts with a Game Genie and a valid code? I have the MD version of Phantasy Star (rare as hell) that I'd like to try.

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Could you get around import lockouts with a Game Genie and a valid code? I have the MD version of Phantasy Star (rare as hell) that I'd like to try.

I'm pretty sure you can.

[Guybrush Threepwood]

It came today. It has TMSS ( :'() but the most important thing is that it's a High Definition Graphics model which means superior sound.

On another note, I think I received the greatest Genesis 3-button controller ever made.

[jiji]

Only some Megadrive games are locked out.  It's mostly later, big-budget titles.  Most games are all-region, and some will even display different text/title screens for different hardware regions.  But for the stuff that's locked out, it's easy to install switches to flip between regions and PAL/NTSC.

[Himu]

Man, i haven't played my Genesis in years because I need new cables.

[Himu]

Actually, what you need to get is the JVC X'Eye:

(Image removed from quote.)

It plays Genesis and Sega CD games and is really reliable, and it's an officially licensed console so don't worry about that. They're a bit harder to find though.

I've never even heard of this. Holy shit.

TMSS?

Basically Sega's form of region coding.

The first version of the Model 1 (made from 1989 to ~1992 I think) didn't have TMSS, which means you can play all Japanese and European Mega Drive games on it.

I have this model 1

btw, I've never had a sega cd but always wanted one. Hmmm.

[Joe Molotov]

Yes.

[tiesto]

I really want to get a CDX... seems like the optimal way of playing SEGA-CD. I already have 2 SEGA-CD games (Willy Beamish and Popful Mail), and want the 2 Lunars and Shining Force CD.

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Rocket Knight Adventures

[bork]

X'Eye is crap compared to the CDX, which is Sega's best console from that era, hands-down.

I really want to get a CDX... seems like the optimal way of playing SEGA-CD. I already have 2 SEGA-CD games (Willy Beamish and Popful Mail), and want the 2 Lunars and Shining Force CD.

It's nice, but the optimal way of playing Sega CD games nowadays is via an emulator.  I used to play them on my modded Xbox; the games looked awesome with the various filters and the load times were cut way the hell down.  Now I have Snatcher on my PSP.   

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Rocket Knight Adventures

Yessssss. I still haven't played Sparkster.

[Positive Touch]

Rocket Knight Adventures

Yessssss. I still haven't played Sparkster.

Genny Sparkster  :'(

i don't think i could even make it past the first or second level

[BobFromPikeCreek]

It's bad?

[Guybrush Threepwood]

It's bad?

Look at videos of it on YouTube

SNES Sparkster is the true sequel to RKA

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Oh wow. They're completely different games.

[Cravis]

I love how you can just burn Sega CD games to a disc and the SCD reads them. They didn't even bother with copy protection lol. I picked up a Sega CD for dirt cheap that was thought to be dead. I replaced the fuse and it's good as new. It was worth it for Eternal Champions, Sonic CD, Spider-man, and The Terminator.