Nov 3 - I got a Genesis, now about those games? (was the CDX was it worth it thread)

[Tanooki]

I may have an opportunity to get one of these things within the next week, kind of unsure about the whole thing. I for some reason recall them having some kind of issue with age or whatever I think with the CD part of it. I can't think of too many discs worth it that don't get $50+ sadly on ebay, so it would mostly be useful for the Sega Genesis slot which kind of goes as a negative against it I guess.

What do I need to know about this if I dare to take an interest in it?

[calgon]

Sound on the Genesis isn't as good as a model one HD graphics ver.

If you can get by that, they are fantastic

[Cornelius]

If all you care about is playing the games, and you have the means to do so already, then there isn't any real benefit. But it is just a flippin' sweet console. Probably my favorite redesign of any system, so sleek. Also, it saves a ton of space, being like 1/4 the size of a Sega CD.

I don't recall hearing about any specific age-related problems that they all get sooner or later. But when there are problems, I understand it to be one of the worst to work on. I've luckily not had any problems with mine, but given everything that's crammed in there, it makes sense that it would be a pain to open up.

[Niku-Sama]

I remember age specific problems bring the caps for the audio. That's already been mentioned...

Model 1 still blows it away.

I could see it as a good investment, or trade bait if you get a good price on it. I found an ac adapter for one a few months back and that's all I've seen of one in the wild. Kinda like the nes-101s in my area

[SparTonberry]

Yeah, I hear getting a proper AC adapter for one (as well as X'Eye, the other rare Genesis variant) is pretty difficult.

[Tanooki]

Well that's interesting. And no I'm not all uppity about the audio. The only Genesis systems I've personally owned was the ratty #3 and also the Nomad, beyond that, Firecore ATGames goodies(or not so goodies depending how much they piss you off.) I've never had access to a SCD system. I know there's probably only a dozen games on it I'd even bother with and some of them are damn expensive like $50-100 (some nauseatingly like Snatcher.)

I've never seen one at a store since they were sold at the store. Even the dude I was friends with years back in CA I've mentioned before gone evil and greedy where I got all my awesome expensive 2nd hand NES/SNES goodies in the 90s from never had one and he had some weird stuff.

I've been thinking for a time now I'd want a Genesis again as I lost mine to unemployment a decade ago -- Castlevania, Star control, Dune 2, Contra, Ghouls n Ghosts, Ristar, the Sonics, Alisa Dragoon, Aladdin, Virtua Racing, SF2(some variant) as well as MK1, and a few others -- always wanted a crack at Lunar, Lords of Thunder, Final Fight CD and a few others. I could see snapping up a couple dozen Gen games either complete or loose but i'd be uniform how I'd approach that once I started as I'm sure loose boxes/books are a pain.


As much as it is, I'm not sure where the price will fall but somewhere in the $100-160 range. I know they're $200-225~ish in the condition it is in. It has the original A/V (model 2 genesis looking) video cable, original power supply, system is solid itself, and has 1 6 button controller that either came with it or the old owner bought (sega brand.) Now I know you probably could get a model 1 or 2 genesis and the docked to it sega cd (under or side by side) probably for like $100, but this seems like a better idea to shoot for. For once money isn't really an object as I sold this oddball bootleg cart an online friend of mine wanted last week for a good bit of money so I could get it, I'm just wondering if it's really worth it or not with the CD aspect when a nice genesis alone I think is like what $50? (for the HD inked model 1 type with the nicer audio people go for.)

[sfchakan]

If all you care about is playing the games, and you have the means to do so already, then there isn't any real benefit. But it is just a flippin' sweet console. Probably my favorite redesign of any system, so sleek.

This is the correct answer.

[theclaw]

CDX is incredible when it works. Good luck with repairs.

Unlike most clones, RGB is an option.
One difference from Genesis 2 is the bulky old Power Base Converter barely fits unmodified. (right angle power plug recommended)
Too bad 32X wobbles. Sega canceled its spacer.

[Tanooki]

Repairs are a concern but so is the fact of like 20 interesting to me games more than half cost like 50-130 to buy which isn't cool at all. SCD is expensive for quality since it was lower run and lived a short life. Thinking I may just wait and see if I could get it for 100-120 or leave it be. Carts are what I had and loose but pretty is all I'd need and the worst of those would be the likes of castlevania and tmnt. If I did get it that cheap there are a few discs lower priced I'd meddle with at least.

[Steve W]

I've come across a couple CDX units at flea markets over the years, but the CD drive was always broken. I've always kept my eye out for one fairly cheap whenever I go game hunting. But I have both Model 1 and 2 CD-ROM units, so I don't especially need a CDX, it'd just be nice to have. I did find the power supply for it years back, I'm hoping that will help steer luck my way and I'll come across a working CDX eventually. Kind of like how I owned a Channel F game before eventually getting the console, or buying a Laseractive game a week before buying the console and discovering the store got rid of all their Laseractive games the day after I bought my lone game for the next few years.

[Tanooki]

Good story and I get that. I am kind of wondering where I'll go with this if at all, price 100% would determine it.

I'm also eyeballing the model 1 genesis (HD branding) since it supposedly has that nicest (correct) audio and good visual capabilities, but not easy to sift through the crap on ebay to do so to find a fair value for one in good shape that isn't beat up with a controller and original a/v + power cable for it (don't care for or want rf.) Clearly more time is needed to investigate.

[Niku-Sama]

heka deal right here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Sega-Ge...YAAOSwA4dWNCJy

its actually a very early unit with the 2 color logo (white/grey), probably a non tmss unit too. matching controller, model 1 cd unit.
shipping kind of sucks but if your looking for the best sounding, looking this is, from my experience, one of the better options

i'd say $100 is worth it especially with the slot load sega CD but the shipping is kinda killer on it. plus with this you'd be able to use the power base converter and 32x no problems. frankly I think the CDX would be cool but you know your gonna want to do cd/32x games and probably master system games in the future.

[Tanooki]

Not bad, but the $30 shipping is kind of a joke. I guess it's either larger than I remember or this guy isn't using a cheaper priority mail option. Wouldn't a slot loading CD drive be more of a burden given you have yet another motor and belt to fail if that front gave out vs a basically no parts tray you just pop up?

I don't know really much at all what a CD unit values at though I'll be that clear. I know a good clean quality HD style Genesis that has the complete accessory package appears to be $50 on average looking at junk earlier today on ebay. You could accident into a lucky thing that's missed or piece it together cheaper, but not by much and the hassle would negate the savings. 32X I have to admit as limited as the game list is I find more interesting than the CD at least playing the averages of how many games it has total are more interesting, prices I don't think blow as badly either.

Now why does that dude have 2 AC adapters though? Also he said he could hear the thing read a disc but nothing ran, yet he had the audio player up. Isn't that a potential problem if it reads and may not even handle an audio disc and it being listed as-is?

The CDX I read from multiple accounts works just fine with the 32X too, the manual just claims it doesn't support it is all (probably since those clips don't fit it well.)

[FieryReign]

https://youtube.com/watch?list=PLMqQ...&v=09AwYoXyLk8
Bracie did an overview of one a long time ago. Looks like nothing but a collectors piece to me. If you're running a museum, it might be worth it. Playing games on it? Why bother? Cheaper options out there like a modded Model 1.

Nothing on Sega CD worth those prices. You have your SonicCDs which are available elsewhere nowadays(and overrated as fuck). Terminator is cool, mostly due to Tommy Ts rockin-ass soundtrack. Ummm, I guess if you're into rpgs, there's all the Working Designs stuff, but I consider them borefests. Snatcher bored me to tears personally, but if you like those type games...

Sega CD was nothing but a faulty piece of shit.

[Tanooki]

Well I kind of agree with your feelings, and since posting that last comment where I threw the 32x out there, I had a feeling it blew and wasn't just quit upon by sega so I did a title search followed by youtube - ugh. Not worth the price for the addon and 2 power supplies...hell no.

The issue with the SegaCD is that there are some good games, and yes I did like Lunar on PS1 the little I played and the GBA release too, so I'd get that along with Silpheed from Working Designs too. The issue is that the most desirable games to me, a good many cost around $100-130, a few around the $50 mark which I am not amused with.

I think the model 1 would be best, but I need to sniff out a good deal on that, but I won't lie, if I happen to see that cdx for a $100 at the end of the week I'll grab it. I may not get much CDs if any for it, but it's a Genesis, and at absolute worst I end up depressed by the CD prices and sell it and make a few bucks. The other thing I have t consider, do I want to even bother with stupid clamshells at this point or just save even more and get loose carts that aren't with jacked up labels for the Genesis stuff. The sad truth of it is modern games off the pc/android stuff and some 3DS games rarely appeal to me, I get maybe in average 3-4yr on the PS4 as the old stuff is just more amusing and relaxing/fun for me due to the larger emphasis on core gaming mechanics over fluff, flair, and slowly moving along trivial stories to fill time to try and justify a $60 price tag. NES/SNES stuff is just sickening to buy at this rate for the upper quality stuff anymore short of some oddball unsought good games, yet the Genesis gets fairly maligned and ignored (SCD oddly aside) so it's a good fit for value vs gaming value.

Also reading I noticed that the very first release model/part # was slighty different in that it has a 46E in the code on the bottom instead of FJ8USA... and this one has no lock out chip too or boot license screen.

I do have another question. I had the Genesis 3 ages ago, I get it's not a fan favorite and can't use the addon devices (no big deal) but did it really have the god awful audio that the model 2 had where it just totally hoses up Sonic 3's audio? I honestly don't remember sounding bad, definitely not like hte side by side video on youtube makes it out to be with the model 1 vs model 2.

[FieryReign]

Gen3? Godawful Majesco trash. Had one of those tiny things and the sound almost made my ears bleed. I actually thought it was a bootleg cloney-cheapy, until I did research and seen Sega did put their name on that manure. I don't think they're compatible with Sonic and Knuckles or Virtua Racing, among others if that bothers you.

[Tanooki]

Ok, if you were dead set on buying a model 1, with the proper FCC code I noted that has the best audio and the solid video, IE the very first model off the line, and it were in damn good shape not all scratched up as those black matte plastic systems did -- what would be an acceptable price to you?

I've so far gone through 17 pagex x50 listings and as far as I can tell I've found 2, and only one looks like it was used with satin gloves and the other, perhaps sandpaper or just kicked around.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sega-Genesis...UAAOSwQTVWCIp2

$50 +17 shipping... system, ac, rf all sega stock, 2 stock 3 button controllers, and altered beast game+box w/art on it no manual. I looked up a 3 button controller in that good of shape is 10-12 shipped, Altered Beast another 5-7, it brings the system down to $50 shipped.

Is that even fair or high in part due to the shipping which seems like a bit much coming from not that far away really.

[FieryReign]

That looks like a nice clean system for the price. But, you don't know how the controllers "feel", those old school 3-buttons tend to get "mushy" and get dirty over time. I managed to open one up in the past due to a faulty A button and discovered how much filth can get inside those things. A little alcohol and cleaning made the A button useful again but ultimately failed again and I know jack shit about technology so I just threw it against the wall, raining plastic.

The Model 1 itself? Probably one of the most durable consoles out there. I've seen em come through hell and back. Six-button feels so nice in the hands, one of the best ever, especially that smoothass rubber d-pad.

$17 shipping? That's not bad at all, really. Pretty sure there is no Priority Box that would fit all that. If there was one, where would you put padding? We've gotten a little too spoiled in regards to shipping nowadays.

[Tanooki]

Well as far as controllers go the best you can hope for is to clean both the rubber tops and bottoms, and where they contact with the board with high proof isopropyl alcohol and hope for the best, otherwise, find replacement rubbers or controllers. I really don't recall what an old Genesis weighs (been 10+years) so I had no idea if that was good or not. $50 for a non TMSS genesis seems to be pretty damn good when you factor in the added controller and game.

I don't remember well, but other than Street Fighter II I don't think too many games used a 6 button controller anyway, and I already have that on SNES.

Perhaps just buy it and be done with it, as trying to find one as pretty as that is probably waiting for disaster or really dumb luck.

[FieryReign]

Not many games used the six-button besides fighters like Eternal Champions, Ranger-X, Streets of Rage 3, Comix Zone, among many others. You'd be surprised. They're just a better feeling controller in your hand, 10 times better than that bulky 3-button nonsense. If you've never held one in your hands than it's hard to explain. It's literally THE best d-pad ever.