Sega Genesis
A 16-bit console released in Japan in October 1988 as the Mega Drive and in North America in August 1989 as the Genesis.
Sega released the Mega Drive in Japan in October 1988 and the Genesis in North America in August 1989. A team supervised by Hideki Sato and Masami Ishikawa designed it, adapting Sega's System 16 arcade board around a Motorola 68000 processor.
It fared poorly against rivals in Japan but did well in North America, Brazil, Australia and Europe. It sold 30.75 million units worldwide. Sonic the Hedgehog and sports games drove its success.
Why it matters
The Genesis challenged Nintendo in North America with arcade ports, Sonic the Hedgehog and marketing aimed at older children.
Key facts
- Released in Japan in October 1988.
- Released in North America in August 1989.
- 16-bit Motorola 68000 processor.
- 30.75 million units sold.
- Add-ons included the Sega CD and the 32X.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Sega Genesis", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Genesis, accessed October 14, 2026.
- Wikipedia, "Sega", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega, background reading, accessed October 14, 2026.