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DW FACTS by Dark Watcher
In 1991 at the Tokyo Toy show in Japan, Sega unveiled its secret project to compete against NEC's PC Engine CD-ROM add on. The Mega-CD like its rival was capable of utilizing the enormous storage capacity of CD media to produce quality games. The Mega-CD however was designed with its own processor and memory that worked in conjunction with the Mega Drive's (Genesis) processor and memory via an interface port. The unit was capable of adding 10 extra sound channels to the Mega Drive and provide sprite enhancement features such as scaling and rotation, similar to that of the Super NES's Mode 7. Like other CD-based consoles, the Mega-CD could also run Audio CDs and CD+G (CD plus Graphics). With the massive amount of storage space on CDs, game producers also saw the capability of using Full Motion Video (FMV) in their games. Unfortunately, when shown on a 16-bit console, the graphics turned out very pixilated and grainy, but that didn't stop them making such games.
The Mega-CD was released in Japan in the winter of 1991 and competed well against NEC's add on. In 1992 Sega began to lose its dominance in the United States due to the release of the Super NES. Their CD add-on renamed Sega CD was released in October of that year to retake their sales position. However, the initial price tag of $399 and the initial lack of quality titles kept the add-on from taking off. In 1993 the Sega CD was redesigned with a top loading CD tray. The redesign made the add-on cheaper and sleeker to connect to the remodeled Mega Drive II \ Genesis 2. It was finally released in Europe in April and garnered a larger following. The Sega CD was an innovative creation, but was not considered a total success. A number of factors prevented the Sega CD from attaining a dominant position in the videogame market at the time. The initial high price prevented the add-on from selling well. Another contributor was the delay of third party software support. This was because Sega was slow to distribute the development kits needed to create Sega CD games. The result caused some rushed low quality games. Other developers abused the add-on's ability to create FMV and games seemed more a cheap movie then an actual game. Other games still were simple slightly enhanced versions of their existing Genesis \ Mega Drive carts. Sega finally pulled the plug on the Sega CD in 1996. FACT: As a result of their involvement in protests about videogames and violence concerning the release of Night Trap, Sega was the first to develop video game ratings on their Sega CD titles. Another interesting fact is that the Sega CD had another capability not exploited by more developers. The console had limited 3D polygon capability. The only Sega CD title that took advantage of this capability was Silpheed, released in 1993.

MODELS Officially licensed releases
Sega CD (North America)	Sega Mega-CD (Japan \ Europe)
Sega CD 2 (North America)	Sega Mega-CD II (Japan \ Europe)

Additional Authorized Releases
TecToy was the authorized manufacturer\distributor of the Sega CD in Brazil. TecToy also released a number of versions of the Sega Mega Drive system in Brazil and continues to peddle these systems on their website. Sega CD technology was also included in a number of other systems, all combination-type units. These include the JVC X'Eye, Victor Wondermega, Sega Multi-Mega \ CDX and the Pioneer LaserActive (with the PAC-S1 module). The Aiwa Mega-CD (pictured below) is another one of these such machines. The system consists of two parts - the top CD player and the bottom docking station that provided the Sega Mega Drive\CD interface\capabilities (except sound). This rare bird was a Japanese exclusive and will lighten your pocketbook quite a bit (if you can find one).



CLONES Non-licensed hardware releases
No clones were released for this system.

FORMAT, PACKAGING & GENERAL INFO Interesting facts on software for this system
Software for the Sega CD was initially distributed in large cardboard boxes which included the instruction manual and the game CD in a standard jewel case. In 1993, Sega changed the default packaging to the oversized plastic casing that most gamers are familiar with. This casing would also be utilized for Sega Saturn games. The first production run of the Sega CD included a rather impressive assortment of pack-in titles which highlighted the technical capabilities of the system. The included titles: o Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective (FMV Interactive Adventure) o Sol-Feace (2D horizontal shooter) o Sega Classics 4-in1 CD (Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Columns and Golden Axe) o Rock Paintings (CD+G affair that demonstrated graphical capabilities) o Hot Hits: Adventurous New Music Sampler (Music sampler to showcase audio)	applemctom's Games that Defined Compiliation
An additional seven (7) titles were available at launch which included Sewer Shark, Night Trap, Marky Mark Make Your Own Video, INXS Make Your Own Video, Cobra Command, Chuck Rock and Black Hole Assault. This lineup was less than stellar, but overall these selections did provide a nice variety to those looking to grab a game at launch.

Sega CD Launch Game Boxes

SCREENSHOTS Captured in-game images
Afterburner III	Android Assault	Battlecorps
Battletech: Grey Death Legion	Burning Fists: Force Striker	Citizen X
Dark Wizard	Dune	Earthworm Jim
Ecco the Dolphin: Tides of Time	Final Fight CD	Formula One Racing
Hook	Lords of Thunder	Lunar Silver Star
Mortal Kombat	NBA Jam	NHL 94
Night Trap	Popful Mail	Shining Force CD
Shining Force CD	Slipheed	Sol-Feace
Sonic the Hedgehog CD	Star Wars Rebel Assault	Tomcat Alley
Vay	Wing Commander	World Cup USA 94

EMULATION
First and third party system emulators

GENS

This is an amazing emulator for Windows. It requires Direct X 8.0.
There are other emulators available, but this one is one of our favorites.

SPECS & MANUALS
For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.

Processor Type	Processor Speed	Other Processor Information	RAM \ Video RAM
16-bit Motorola 68000	12.5 MHz	None	768 KB Main RAM
Screen Resolution	Color Palette	Polygons \ Sprites	Audio
320 x 224	512 (64 on screen)	80 sprites	PCM Sound Stereo, 8 channels, 32 KHz maximum sampling, 8X internal over-sampling digital filter
Media Format	Media Capacity	Games Released	Other Supported Formats
CD-ROM (1x)	500 MB	Approx. 150	Audio CD, CD+G
Internal Storage	External \ Removable Storage	Game Controllers	Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
64 KB Internal Backup RAM	CD Backup RAM Cart (optional)	N\A	Light Gun, CD Backup Ram Cart
Controller Ports	Network Ports	Other Ports	Audio \ Video
N\A	None	None	RCA Line Out for Stereo (Video runs through the attached Genesis\Mega Drive main system)
Power Supply - External	Other Outputs	Other Details \ Notes
Input: 120V, 60Hz, 18W Output: DC 9V, 1.2A, 600mA	None	RAM and CPU processing power are added to the existing output of the attached Genesis \ Mega Drive main console.
Manuals
Sega CD (Model 1) Owners Manual (PDF) - 3.37 MB Sega CD (Model 2) Owners Manual (PDF) - 1.95 MB