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|} is a fourth-generation video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988 and Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990. The console was released in North America in 1989 under the name Sega Genesis, since Sega was unable to secure legal rights to the Mega Drive name in that region. The Mega Drive was Sega's third home console and the successor to the Sega Master System, with which it is electronically compatible. The Mega Drive was the first of its generation to achieve notable market share in Europe and North America. The Mega Drive was originally launched to compete with the Nintendo Entertainment System and NEC's PC-Engine. Two years later, Nintendo released the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the competition between the two would dominate the 16-bit era of video gaming. The Mega Drive began production in Japan in 1988 and ended with the last new licensed game being released in 2002 in Brazil. The Mega Drive is Sega's most successful console; though Sega has never released a total sales figure quote, sales estimates in the past have ranged from as low as 29 million to over 40.8 million. The console and its games continue to be popular among fans, collectors, retro gamers, emulation enthusiasts and the fan translation scene. There are also several indie game developers continuing to produce games for the console. Many games have been re-released in compilations for newer consoles and/or offered for download on various online services, such as Wii Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and Steam. In 2009, IGN named the console the fifth greatest video game console, out of a field of 25. |
