Exactly 20 Years ago, came out Megadrive/Genesis.

[Adol]

On 29th October (midnight here in France,so it's already 29th) 1988,came out one of the most fantastic video game systems ever created: Megadrive, from Sega, in Japan.
Known as Genesis in USA

20 years already!

And a lot of memories for everyone,huh? :)

[Deadpixels]

God, I can't believe it's been that long. I remember getting my Genny for Christmas back in '89, with Altered Beast pack-in as well as Madden. That Christmas is probably one of my best memories ever. The giant sprites, digitized sound, and detailed backgrounds floored everyone in my home, and it really felt like we had the arcade experience at home.

Gaming honestly changed for me when the Genesis was released. Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Phantasy Star, Shining Force, these games were simply unrivaled at the time. Even when the SNES was released I still much prefered Sega's 16-bit wonder to Nintendo's console.

And who can forget the Sega Channel? Back when the 32-bit systems started rolling in around mid '94, I was still happily sinking my time into a menu of 50 fantastic (ok well they weren't all gems) games every month.

[otaku]

20 years and still going strong (new releases even) and still getting lots of play (and rereleases)

[The 1 2 P]

I always seemed to be in the minority when I proclaimed how I enjoyed the Genesis much more than the Snes. Today I own both and still feel that way. The Genesis was the first game system that made playing games seem cool.

[aclbandit]

Shit. I actually feel old now. Dunno when that happened.

[Wraith Storm]

I remember I had a NES but it was my brothers. It was 1990 and my birthday and I had choice between a Genesis or a Turbo Grafx. I knew nothing of either, all I knew was that I wanted a "new" game system and one that I could call my own!!

I asked my older brother (Who read gaming magazines and was "in the know") and he suggested the Genesis. Once we got home I played Altered Beast for hours and thus my life long videogame addiction and collection was blown into full force!!! :rockets:

[7th lutz]

When the Sega Genesis came out in 1989 in North America, I didn't own a Nes. I played Atari 2600 games on my Atari 2600 Jr.

I got got Sega Genesis for Christmas in 1992 back when I was in Middle School.

Sega Genesis was the first system from the 16 bit era that I own. It is one of my favorite game systems of all time.

I have a lot great memories with that system. I was introduced to some genres that I didn't play before or didn't play a good game in before. I got a nes back in 91. I didn't had a chance to play all the good games the Nes had a result.

Sega Genesis introduced me to the following genre's or gave me first great game genre experience: Football, Action rpgs, Rpgs, Hockey, and strategy RPG.

I owned and liked a lot of Sega genesis games and franchises through the years like Phantasy Star series, Shinobi series, Valis series, Sining Force Series, Sonic series, MAdden series, Rolling Thunder series, Thunder Force series, Strike series, Streets of Rage Series, Vectorman series, Golden Axe, Disney Games, Mutant League Football, Crusader of Centy, Land Stalker, and a lot of games I didn't mention.

[parallaxscroll]

20 years, happy birthday SEGA MEGA DRIVE GENESIS!


Over 19 years of memories for me, starting with me finding out about the Genesis in the summer of '89.


I made a thread earlier this year about the games that launched with the Genesis in the U.S. and some of my memories about learning about what the Genesis was:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111913



Genesis was my 3rd console, I got mine in April 1990.

My first console was the Atari 7800, got that around the beginning of 1988. Then I got a Master System for my birthday in early 1989. By this time, the MegaDrive was out in Japan, but I was completely unaware of it. I had no idea that a new generation of consoles (PCE, MD) had come out over there, and were soon to be coming to America.


I didn't know of the Genesis until June or early July 1989. As a Master System owner, I would call 1-800-USA-SEGA all the time for info about the games I owned, games I didn't yet have, and just to chat with any of the game counselors that had the same interests in games that I did (SMS R-Type and the games that used the 3-D glasses were my main VG interests at that point). One evening I called the hotline like I always did, but there was a new message in the recording. A female voice talked about the new 16-bit Genesis coming soon. I wasn't sure if Genesis was a new Master System game, or what (i had no understanding of the concept of a new generation of consoles), but I was very interested! After hearing the message a few times, i began to understand that this was a whole new Sega system coming out, and this was very exciting to a kid who owned a SMS in those times!


One day soon after that, sometime in July 1989, I was at the grocery store with my mom. I had recently started reading game magazines in the drugstore part of the supermarket (Jewel-OSCO for those in the Chicago area). I saw a new magazine I'd never seen before:
Electronic Gaming Monthly. It was the first time I ever saw EGM! It was issue Number 2.... 16-bit Gaming Explosion. There were all these new systems on the cover, and there was that Genesis which I had heard about on Sega's hotline.
I had to know more. I read the article on Genesis (you can see that here (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1307235&postcount=6) ) I looked at the difference between Altered Beast on SMS and Genesis. Whoa! it "looked so much better", "it looked like the arcade" I thought to myself... (it turned out NOT to be exactly like the arcade but I didn't know that in July 89). I was more excited about gaming than I had been in the previous year and a half that I owned my first console. I wanted one of the new systems. The TurboGrafx-16 looked really good too. I showed my dad. He said that he would buy me the console of my choice if I got certain grades in school. Over the next school year (half of it actually), I got the grades that were needed, and I had a Genesis the next April. Played the hell out of Altered Beast, Ghouls 'N Ghosts, Last Battle and Phantasy Star II.

That spring & summer I had got Golden Axe, Herzog Zwei, Truxton, Thunder Force II, Ghost Busters and After Burner II.

By the fall of 1990, I had enough extra money to get a TurboGrafx-16 with Blazing Lazers, Legendary Axe (and a rebate for a free game, I selected R-Type which I recieved via UPS on Christmas Eve 1990) and more Genesis games: Thunder Force III, Sword of Vermilion, Phelios, and Strider.

[NEOFREAK9189]

20 years? I remenber me and my friend get my genesis launched day I was so hyper
happy birthday sega genesis

[CMA Death Adder]

On 29th October (midnight here in France,so it's already 29th) 1988,came out one of the most fantastic video game systems ever created: Megadrive, from Sega, in Japan.

The most fantastic, in my opinion. Never have I been so impressed with a game console as I've been with the Genesis, nor so excited and always ready to switch it on for some more fun.


And a lot of memories for everyone,huh? :)

Phenomenal memories; and we'll continue to make new ones together for many years to come. :D

[Haoie]

Happy birthday, Mega Drive.

Both names were good.

[suppafly]

The Genesis is my all-time favorite console

Congratulations to all sega fans

[alec006]

Wow,was it honestly that long ago it came out,amazing,happy 20th birthday Genesis/Megadrive. My god the system that started it all for me,my first ever videogame system,where I dint know,what Mario or Sonic was,I was only 4 when i got it in 94. Sonic The Hedgehog 1 and 2,oh man how I hated the Chemical Plant,now my favorate level go figure, Crue Ball,one of the best pinball games of all time and in frekin MIDI stereo! Menacer,I never had the damn lightgun to play it,but it looked promsing, Aladdin, Roadrash,Hard Drivin and who can forget one of my favorate a genesis arcade games of all time Strider, god how I loved that game,i could never beat it thou,but it was still fun. Well now im going to play some classics on it today,with the tumor....i mean 32x on top,connected to the drive loading forever Sega CD and hear all of its glory in Stereo,not to mention see it in RGB,amazingly great. The megadrive defined the end of a decade and set up the gaming of the 90s, happy 20th,may there be more years of Robotnic smashing to come.

[Zebbe]

Happy 20th Anniversary, my dear Mega Drive :). You clearly brought many new things into gaming, set new standards and gave us so many classic games. My tribute to you will be my work on Pier Solar, which will be released soon ;).

[SpaceHarrier]

You brought me Sonic the Hedgehog, so to you Genesis, I wish you the happiest of birthdays that I can wish to a videogame console. Of course I didn't get you until a year or so later, but hey..

[CosmicMonkey]

Makes me feel old.

[Gentlegamer]

Happy birthday Genny!

[rbudrick]

Makes me feel old. Damn.

However sad that may be, I only cry tears of joy for my beloved Genesis.

WTF would I have done without it?! Perish the thought!

-Rob

[parallaxscroll]

Even though the Genesis just turned 20 a few days ago, the Megadrive will be 21 in just two and a half months!

drinking age! lol

[Ed Oscuro]

Dupe thread, and no cries of foul yet. Everybody been drinking heartily to the Genesis / MD I hope? :drinking:

[DigitalSpace]

EDIT: Moved to the North American Anniversary thread (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1602672&postcount=45).