Sega Genesis
1989 SegaGeneration 4
Known as the Mega Drive outside North America, the Sega Genesis was Sega's most successful console. With its 'blast processing' marketing and edgier game library featuring Sonic the Hedgehog, it gave Nintendo serious competition in the 16-bit era.
915
Total Games
1989
Release Year
Want to play Genesis games on a handheld?
We compared Genesis emulation across 11 handhelds with published testing. 11 of them handle it, and the page lists them cheapest first with a source on every rating.
Which handheld runs Genesis?Technical Specifications
Processor
Motorola 68000 at 7.6 MHz
Memory
64 KB main RAM, 64 KB video RAM
Media
Game cartridges
Graphics
Sega VDP - 320x224 resolution, 64 colors on screen
Audio
Yamaha YM2612 FM synthesis + SN76489 PSG
Genesis games
10 titles catalogued. Games with their own page are the ones published emulation testing names directly.
| Title | Year | Developer | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic the Hedgehog | 1991 | Sonic Team | Platformer |
| Streets of Rage 2 | 1992 | Sega | Beat 'em up |
| Gunstar Heroes | 1993 | Treasure | Run and Gun, Shooter |
| Phantasy Star IV | 1993 | Sega | RPG |
| Shining Force | 1992 | Sonic! Software Planning | Strategy RPG, Tactical |
| Ecco the Dolphin | 1992 | Novotrade International | Adventure, Puzzle |
| Golden Axe | 1989 | Sega | Beat 'em up, Fantasy |
| Thunder Force IV | 1992 | Technosoft | Shoot 'em up |
| Castlevania: Bloodlines | 1994 | Konami | Action, Platformer |
| Altered Beast | 1988 | Sega | Beat 'em up, Action |
Questions about the Genesis
- When was the Sega Genesis released?
- The Sega Genesis was released in 1989 by Sega. It is a generation 4 console with a library of roughly 915 titles.
- What are the Genesis specifications?
- Processor: Motorola 68000 at 7.6 MHz. Memory: 64 KB main RAM, 64 KB video RAM. Graphics: Sega VDP - 320x224 resolution, 64 colors on screen. Audio: Yamaha YM2612 FM synthesis + SN76489 PSG. Media: Game cartridges.
- Can you emulate Genesis games on a retro handheld?
- 11 of 11 handhelds with published testing run Genesis well enough to play. The cheapest is the Miyoo Flip at around $60. Every rating traces to testing by someone who had the hardware.
- Which Genesis games are covered here?
- 10 titles: Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2, Gunstar Heroes, Phantasy Star IV, Shining Force, Ecco the Dolphin, Golden Axe, Thunder Force IV, Castlevania: Bloodlines, Altered Beast.
Fun Facts & Trivia
- • The first console to feature Blast Processing marketing
- • Sonic was created to compete directly with Mario
- • The Genesis had better arcade ports than the SNES
- • The Sega CD and 32X were add-ons that extended its life