History Main / ProductFacelift

* The Platform/SegaDreamcast didn't live long enough to have any real redesigns, but it did receive a limited-edition black "SEGA Sports" model that came prepackaged with two games, and another model, the Diver 2000 CX-1, could best be described as a CRT television with a Dreamcast built into it (and it was designed to look like [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic's head]]!). Other than the latter two models, there was also an internal revision which dropped support for the MIL-CD format, which never saw use outside of Japan besides pirate and homebrew releases. There was also the [[http://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/07/stars-spangled-box-art.html change of packaging design for North America]] about midway through the console's lifespan (which also included a redesign for the GD-ROM jewel cases, going from white to black).

The system has been out for a while, but what was once new hotness is now yesterday's headlines. It's built up a great library, but everybody already has [[KillerApp the best games]]. You've dropped the price, but maybe the [[UsefulNotes/ConsoleWars next generation]] is starting to horn in on your sales. What's a video game company to do? The answer is simple. Send the console in for reconstructive surgery: keep the functionality but repackage it into a slick new design.

** In 2005, the Game Boy Micro would come out a few months after the original Nintendo DS. It utilized a 460 [=mAh=] Lithium Ion battery that ran for 10 hours, and featured a backlight that could be toggled between five different brightness levels, but lacked UsefulNotes/BackwardsCompatibility for original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges. As the name implies, it was also significantly smaller than all previous Game Boy models, returning to a bar design and being smaller than even an NES controller.

* Platform/{{Nintendo GameCube}} saw a licensed third-person revision from Panasonic known as the "Q", released exclusively in Japan several months after the original console, with the ability to play both [=GameCube=] discs and video [=DVDs=]. However, it was commercially unsuccessful and never left Japan.

[[quoteright:300:[[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nes.png]]]]
[[quoteright:300:[[UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nintendo_nes_101_toploader_console.png]]]]

->''"Creator/{{Nintendo}} taught me it's okay to be self-conscious about my appearance since they obviously were with the [[UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS 3DS]] after changing it like 12 times."''
-->-- '''WebVideo/ScottTheWoz''', ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1shtj40kjQw Console Redesigns]]''

* Size. Thanks to advancing technology, the same internal functions can be done with smaller parts, and a smaller system is always a plus. This is important for large systems like the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS or UsefulNotes/XboxOne, which were already large and may desperately need a new form factor to be appealing.
* Technical issues. Many systems, most infamously the UsefulNotes/Xbox360, launch with hardware issues that can be solved with a redesign. The UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem pictured right is a good example: the top-loader revision is much more reliable with cartridges than the original front-loading design.
* Cost. Advancing technology means that the same functions can be achieved with cheaper hardware. Or the cost is reduced by ''removing'' parts: the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 PS2]] Emotion Engine parts were removed to lower price of the [=PlayStation=] 3, while the [[UsefulNotes/NintendoWii Wii Mini]] removed Component, SCART and S-Video support.
* Added functionality. Sometimes minor features are added to the system to make it more appealing to new buyers. Examples include the lit screen of the [[UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance Game Boy Advance SP]] and the Video Out port of the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable PSP-2000]].

* The original UsefulNotes/Atari2600 had a wooden finish that was popular in TheSeventies. Throughout TheEighties, it had various versions that kept the design intact but with slight differences. In 1986, it was modernized as a smaller, black-looking system, similar to the UsefulNotes/Atari7800, and was marketed as a budget console that could play classic games.
* The UsefulNotes/AtariLynx was followed by the Lynx II, which was slimmer and bumped the battery life from four to five hours.

* The [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine]], launched in 1987, was one of the most successful game consoles in Japan; a far cry from its American counterpart, the [=TurboGrafx-16=], which held a distant third place during the console war between the Super NES and the Sega Genesis. As a result, it enjoyed a variety of redesigns exclusive to the region, along with expandibility options.

* UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem:

* UsefulNotes/GameBoy:

** The UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor released in 1998 as well, and shared most of its hardware specifications with the Pocket. The main differences were a slightly smaller screen and (most importantly) colored graphics on par with the original NES/Famicom. It also developed a substantial library of exclusive GBC titles and "Color-enhanced" Game Boy games, resulting in a large number of fans considering it to be its own handheld rather than a revision.
* UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem:
** The SNS-101 model released in 1997, also referred to as the "New-Style Super NES" internationally and the "Super Famicom Jr." (model number SHVC-101) in Japanese. Besides its smaller design, the main differences between it and the original SNS-001 model were the removal of the expansion dock at the bottom of the console (which only the Japan-only UsefulNotes/{{Satellaview}} add-on ended up supporting) and the lack of support for S-Video and RGB output. The revised console also came with a new version of the controller that removed the console's logo on the front in favor of a plain Nintendo logo.

* UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance:

** In 2005, the Game Boy Micro would come out a few months after the original Nintendo DS. It utilized a 460 [=mAh=] Lithium Ion battery that ran for 10 hours, and featured a backlight that could be toggled between five different brightness levels, but lacked {{UsefulNotes/BackwardsCompatibility}} for original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges. As the name implies, it was also significantly smaller than all previous Game Boy models, returning to a bar design and being smaller than even an NES controller.
* UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo GameCube}} saw a licensed third-person revision from Panasonic known as the "Q", released exclusively in Japan several months after the original console, with the ability to play both [=GameCube=] discs and video [=DVDs=]. However, it was commercially unsuccessful and never left Japan.
* UsefulNotes/NintendoDS:

* UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}:

** Nintendo released the Wii Mini (model number RVL-201), a compact, budget redesign that was initially available exclusively in Canada in 2012 before getting a wide release in the United States and Europe in 2013 (around the same time the UsefulNotes/WiiU came out). The Wii Mini replaced the front-loading disc mechanism with a top-loading tray, and in addition to removing [=GameCube=] functionality, it removed the SD card slot, support for component cables and all online connectivity (preventing access to UsefulNotes/WiiWare, UsefulNotes/VirtualConsole, and online multiplayer).
* UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS:

* UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch:

* The original UsefulNotes/PlayStation underwent numerous subtle revisions, with each model having many internal and external changes, most notably the removal of the RCA output jacks in the [=SCPH-5500=] series, followed by the parallel I/O port in the [=SCPH-9000=] series. The console eventually received a smaller model in 2000, rechristened the PS one (aka the SCPH-100 series), that was designed to reduce the overheating issues that the previous models occasionally ran into. This was done so by replacing the internal power supply that the original SCPH-1000 series used with an external power supply, as well as removing the reset button and the serial I/O port required for the Link Cable (which was supported primarily by racing games). This resulted in the PS one becoming so small (only slightly larger than a CD case) that, with a portable LCD screen add-on, it makes for a decent portable system, assuming you can find an outlet for the AC adapter.

* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 received a slimmer redesign as well starting with the SCPH-70000 series launched in 2004, which was slimmer than a DVD case, but lacked the expansion bay for the Hard Disk Drive add-on from the SCPH-30000 and 50000 series (although, it did have a built-in Ethernet port for online gaming). In Japan it also got a "media hub" makeover as the [=PSX=] (no relation to how to the original [=PlayStation=] was abbreviated before it was numbered), which featured an internal hard drive, digital video recording capability, and an early version of the [=XrossMediaBar=] (the same UI later used for the PSP and [=PS3=]).
* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 had numerous models. Successive models following the launch [=CECHA00=] model upgraded the hard drive capacity, but at the same time reduced some features that some users didn't take too kindly to. This affected backwards compatibility for [=PS2=] discs ([=PS1=] discs still work on all models), media card slots, and USB ports, among others.

* The UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable was redesigned as the PSP-2000 (aka the "Slim & Lite"), gaining a better screen and TV-Out capability along with losing some weight and the IR port that was never officially used. The PSP-3000 was later announced, the main changes apparently being a better analog stick and a microphone for Skype. The PSP Go (the [=N1000=] model) removed the UMD slot in order to reduce cost and push downloadable media, making it the first portable gaming console that does not use physical media. But after a couple years of lackluster sales, the PSP Go was finally discontinued in 2011. Sony did try to get into the mobile market with the Xperia Play, but that also fell short. Another cost-reduced model that was exclusive to Europe, the PSP Street (the [=E1000=] model) took the opposite approach in the sense that it retained the UMD slot, but removed its Wi-Fi capabilities, making it a strictly offline device.
* The UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita also got a slimmed down version, the PCH-2000 series, which dropped the OLED screen for an LCD.
* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 has had not one, but ''two'' new models launched in 2016. One is the CUH-2000 (nicknamed the [=PS4 Slim=], but simply marketed as the [=PS4=]), a slightly thinner and rounder model of the standard [=PS4=] with a quieter ventilator and no support for optical audio. The second model is the [=PS4 Pro=] (the CUH-7000 series), a roughly 50% thicker model (as in three slate-like structures instead of two) with improved internal specifications (such as a faster CPU and GPU) that allow it to output [=4K=] video and run [=PlayStation VR=] titles with improved quality. Ironically enough, despite Sony's push for Blu-ray format with the [=PS3=], the [=PS4=] Pro does not support Ultra HD Blu-ray discs.
* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation5 had a design refresh released in November 2023 that made the console slightly smaller, bumped the built-in storage up to 1TB, and made the disc drive detachable, which allows the new version of the all-digital model to be upgraded to have a disc drive via a separate purchase.

* The Platform/SG1000, Sega's very first game console launched in 1983, was itself a consolized version of their SC-3000 personal computer launched at the same time. The main difference between the two is that the SC-3000 has an integrated keyboard, while the SG-1000 has a hardwired Atari-style joystick. Otherwise, both hardware are essentially identical internally and the SG-1000 can be turned into a personal computer with the SK-1100 keyboard, allowing it to utilize the same peripherals and programming software as the SC-3000 in addition to game cartridges. A second model of the console was released in 1984 known as the SG-1000 II (a.k.a. the Mark II), which replaced the hardwired joystick with a pair of detachable Famicom-style joypads that can be stored on the side. The outer design of the SG-1000 II would end up being used (with slight changes) for Sega's succeeding console in 1985, the Sega Mark III (a.k.a. the SG-1000 [=M3=]), which is improved upon the SG-1000's specifications by adding an upgraded video processing unit and a built-in IC card slot (for Sega [=MyCard=] games that required the [=CardCatcher=] adapter on prior models). The Sega Mark III would go on to serve as the basis for the [[UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem Master System]] in 1986, Sega's first game console in the west.

* The [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Mega Drive/Genesis]] underwent through three basic designs, not counting the various minor revisions and later consoles-on-a-chip. After the original model, there was the first redesign in 1993, known as the Mega Drive 2 in Japanese and European languages and sold as the Genesis Core System (without the Sega prefix) in North American languages. It lacked the headphone jack and volume slider that was on front of the original model, as well as the DE-9 port of the back (which only the Japan-only Mega Modem add-on ended up supporting; later runs of the Model 1 had already omitted the port anyway). The Genesis 3 was released in 1997 exclusively in North America as a budget console by Majesco and has an even more compact design due to the removal of the expansion port and simplified internal components. Unfortunately this made the Genesis 3 incompatible with the Power Base Converter, UsefulNotes/SegaCD and [[UsefulNotes/Sega32X 32X]] add-ons, as well as certain games such as ''Virtua Racing'' and ''Gargoyles''.

* The UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn had two main models released: the launch HST-3200 model featured oval-shaped power and reset buttons along [=LEDs=] for power and access, while the HST-3220 model released in 1996 removed the [=LEDs=], replaced the oval power and reset buttons into round ones and combined the two SH-2 [=CPUs=] into one processor (allowing the price to be reduced). In Japan these two models were distinguished by the color of their cases: the Model 1 consoles have gray casing with blue power/reset/eject buttons, while the Model 2 consoles have white casing with a red eject button and gray power/reset buttons. The standard-issue controller was also recolored to match the consoles, with the Model 2 controller having the ABC buttons now colored green, yellow and blue (the shoulder buttons and the start button were red). In the U.S. and Europe, Sega made no distinction between the two models, having released both of them in black casing, although the Model 2 consoles in the west did come with a black version of the Japanese-style controller instead of the original redesigned North American controller.

* The UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast didn't live long enough to have any real redesigns, but it did receive a limited-edition black "SEGA Sports" model that came prepackaged with two games, and another model, the Diver 2000 CX-1, could best be described as a CRT television with a Dreamcast built into it (and it was designed to look like [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic's head]]!). Other than the latter two models, there was also an internal revision which dropped support for the MIL-CD format, which never saw use outside of Japan besides pirate and homebrew releases. There was also the [[http://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/07/stars-spangled-box-art.html change of packaging design for North America]] about midway through the console's lifespan (which also included a redesign for the GD-ROM jewel cases, going from white to black).

* The UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} was one of the only systems to do this with a ''controller'' exclusively; after the backlash received for the [[ThatsNoMoon launch controller]] over its girth[[note]]The reason being that the circuit board was already designed by someone less-skilled and the shell had to fit around it[[/note]], Microsoft created an S controller for the Japanese market, who have smaller hands. The S controller then quietly replaced the original and [[CanonDiscontinuity Microsoft pretended the original never existed]]... until 2018 when they supported a re-release of the controller for the Xbox One for nostalgia.
* The UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} received a few model refreshes over its lifespan. The first was the Xbox 360 Elite, which included a larger hard drive and different livery. Subsequent models included the CPU and GPU being made in smaller transistor sizes, so as to curb the overheating and red-ring issue. It eventually got a downsized version, the Xbox 360 S (which dropped the Memory Unit slots and came with built-in Wi-Fi). The final model, Xbox 360 E, resembles a smaller version of the launch model Xbox One.
* The UsefulNotes/XboxOne received its first facelift at E3 2016 as the 'Xbox One S', a white, 40% smaller system that includes 4K video support (including support for Ultra HD Blu-ray, something that curiously the [=PS4=] Pro lacked, despite Sony's investment in the Blu-ray format) and an internal power supply (rather than requiring a bulky power brick), among other improvements. However, aside from some marginal performance improvement, the Xbox One S was still in its core just a slimmer less expensive version of the standard Xbox One. That's where the Xbox One X comes in. Officially unveiled at E3 2017 after being teased in the previous year's show, the Xbox One X (codenamed Project Scorpio) is an enhanced model designed specifically for 4K gaming that features a faster CPU, more RAM and a 6 teraflops GPU (in contrast to the 4.2 teraflops of the [=PS4=] Pro), while somehow being smaller than the Xbox One S (which itself is already smaller than the launch Xbox One). It is also much more expensive than the Xbox One S with a [=$499=] price tag, hence why the Xbox One S was still offered as the standard model.

* While there were multiple [[UsefulNotes/ThreeDOInteractiveMultiplayer 3DO]] consoles made by different hardware manufacturers, as the concept behind the platform was to make it a licensable standard for videogame consoles in the same way that VHS tapes and DVD players were to home video, Panasonic was the only company to end up making two different models of the [=3DO=]. Their first model, the FZ-1 or [=3DO REAL=], retailed at $699 and had a front-loading disc tray. Panasonic released the slimmer and more affordable FZ-10 model in 1995, which featured a top-loading disc tray, in a last-ditch attempt to compete against the newly-launched [=PlayStation=] and Sega Saturn consoles.
* The UsefulNotes/NeoGeoPocket and the UsefulNotes/WonderSwan got their respective Color revisions in 1999 and 2000 respectively. Because of this, Creator/{{SNK}} skipped over the original Neo Geo Pocket in favor of the Color revision when they brought the platform to the West in 1999. The [=WonderSwan=] Color was succeeded in 2002 by the [=SwanCrystal=] which swaps out the LCD screen for a TFT screen. The [=WonderSwan=] never left Japan in any of its forms.
* Thanks to Philips devising the UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi as a standard that could be licensed out to other companies (like what the competing UsefulNotes/ThreeDOInteractiveMultiplayer did), several different models of the system exist. Of the ones made by Philips themselves and their North American imprint Magnavox, there's the original CDI 220, the top-loading CDI 550 and CDI 450, and the CDI 910, which returned to the tray-loading configuration of the CDI 220 but featured a greater amount of visual flourish on its façade. In terms of the actual hardware beneath the cases, however, the models are all nearly identical, owed to Philips' requirement that every player had to be compatible with every disc. The only differences are the disc drives used and the fact that models after the CDI 220 remove the RCA port for outputting digital audio.

** The [=MO5-E=] was an upgraded version of the [=MO5=] with the power supply and joystick expansion built in and a full-stroke keyboard instead of the [=MO5=]'s UsefulNotes/ZXSpectrum-like rubber keys. The E originally stood for "export," since the model was first released in West Germany with a QWERTY-layout keyboard instead of the AZERTY layout used by most French keyboards, including that of the eventual French version of the [=MO5-E=].

* In 1986, the UsefulNotes/Commodore64 was reissued in a sleeker, smaller case, which resembled the Commodore 128. Due to its smaller size, it was dubbed the Commodore 64C.
* The [[UsefulNotes/AppleII Apple IIe]] received a "platinum edition" in 1987, with the case color and logo more in line with the UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh design at the time.

* The [[UsefulNotes/{{SG1000}} SG-1000]], Sega's very first game console launched in 1983, was itself a consolized version of their SC-3000 personal computer launched at the same time. The main difference between the two is that the SC-3000 has an integrated keyboard, while the SG-1000 has a hardwired Atari-style joystick. Otherwise, both hardware are essentially identical internally and the SG-1000 can be turned into a personal computer with the SK-1100 keyboard, allowing it to utilize the same peripherals and programming software as the SC-3000 in addition to game cartridges. A second model of the console was released in 1984 known as the SG-1000 II (a.k.a. the Mark II), which replaced the hardwired joystick with a pair of detachable Famicom-style joypads that can be stored on the side. The outer design of the SG-1000 II would end up being used (with slight changes) for Sega's succeeding console in 1985, the Sega Mark III (a.k.a. the SG-1000 [=M3=]), which is improved upon the SG-1000's specifications by adding an upgraded video processing unit and a built-in IC card slot (for Sega [=MyCard=] games that required the [=CardCatcher=] adapter on prior models). The Sega Mark III would go on to serve as the basis for the [[UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem Master System]] in 1986, Sega's first game console in the west.

* This is common with books, especially if they have a movie coming out. Many books get a movie tie-in cover to entice people who saw the movie first to buy the book, or, once the book has gone out of print once, it'll get re-issued with a new cover to make it look like a new and exciting book to draw in new readers. Another issue is that due to cultural changes, what was acceptable in cover art in the past may be considered offensive today; so a SwordsAndSandals novel from the 1970s or early 1980s that depicts nearly nude women chained to the throne of a warrior-king would probably be viewed as sexist, and it need to be replaced. As well, with ScienceFiction, if a book's first edition was several decades ago, the "astonishingly futuristic" 1960s or 1970s cover art may look dated and old-fashioned due to ZeeRust, so the publisher may commission new cover art.

* The UsefulNotes/PlayStation5 had a design refresh released in November 2023 that made the console slightly smaller and made the disc drive detachable, which had the benefits of allowing the new version of the all-digital model to be upgraded to have a disc drive via a separate purchase.

* Thanks to Philips devising the UsefulNotes/PhilipsCDi as a standard that could be licensed out to other companies (like what the competing UsefulNotes/ThreeDOInteractiveMultiplayer did), several different models of the system exist. Of the ones made by Philips themselves and their north American imprint Magnavox, there's the original CDI 220, the top-loading CDI 550 and CDI 450, and the CDI 910, which returned to the tray-loading configuration of the CDI 220 but featured a greater amount of visual flourish on its façade. In terms of the actual hardware beneath the cases, however, the models are all nearly identical, owed to Philips' requirement that every player had to be compatible with every disc. The only differences are the disc drives used and the fact that models after the CDI 220 remove the RCA port for outputting digital audio.

* The UsefulNotes/XboxOne received its first facelift at E3 2016 as the 'Xbox One S', a white, 40% smaller system that includes 4K video support (including support for Ultra HD Blu-ray, something that curiously the [=PS4=] Pro lacked, despite Sony's investment in the Blu-ray format) and an internal power supply (rather than requiring a bulky power brick), among other improvements. However, aside from some marginal performance improvement, the Xbox One S was still in its core just a slimmer less expensive version of the standard Xbox One. That's where the Xbox One X comes in. Officially unveiled at E3 2017 after being teased in the previous year's show, the Xbox One X (codenamed Project Scorpio) is an enhanced model designed specifically for 4K gaming that features a faster CPU, more RAM and a 6 teraflops GPU (in contrast to the 4.2 teraflops of the [=PS4=] Pro), while somehow being smaller than the Xbox One S (which itself is already smaller than the launch Xbox One). It is also much more expensive than the Xbox One S with a [=$499=] price tag, hence why the Xbox One S will still be offered as the standard model.

* This is common with books, especially if they have a movie coming out. Many books get a movie tie-in cover to entice people who saw the movie first to buy the book, or, once the book has gone out of print once, it'll get re-issued with a new cover to make it look like a new and exciting book to draw in new readers. As well, with ScienceFiction, if a book's first edition was several decades ago, the "astonishingly futuristic" 1960s or 1970s cover art may look dated and old-fashioned due to ZeeRust, so the publisher may commission new cover art.
* DVD and Blu-ray movies from several decades ago may get updated cover art and fonts for the title, to help attract a new generation of viewers. As well, with ScienceFiction films, if a movie's is from the 1960s or 1970s cover art may look cheesy and dated due to ZeeRust, so the publisher may commission new art for the DVD cover. As well, some movies that were box office bombs and which were critically panned at the time of their release have generated a cult following, so audience interest in the film may be boosted by noting the film's status as a CultClassic.

* This is common with books, especially if they have a movie coming out. Many books get a movie tie-in cover to entice people who saw the movie first to buy the book, or, once the book has gone out of print once, it'll get re-issued with a new cover to make it look like a new and exciting book to draw in new readers. As well, wiyh ScienceFiction, if a book's first edition was several decades ago, the "astonishingly futuristic" 1960s cover art may look dated and old-fashioned due to ZeeRust, so the publisher may commission new cover art.

* This is common with books, especially if they have a movie coming out. Many books get a movie tie-in cover to entice people who saw the movie first to buy the book, or, once the book has gone out of print once, it'll get re-issued with a new cover to make it look like a new and exciting book to draw in new readers.

** The SNS-101 model released in 1997, also referred to as the "New-Style Super NES" in the West and the "Super Famicom Jr." in Japan. Besides its smaller design, the main differences between it and the original SNS-001 model were the removal of the expansion dock at the bottom of the console (which only the Japan-only UsefulNotes/{{Satellaview}} add-on ended up supporting) and the lack of support for S-Video and RGB output. This model was released as the Super Famicom Jr. in Japan (or model number SHVC-101). The revised console also came with a new version of the controller that removed the console's logo on the front in favor of a plain Nintendo logo.

* The [[UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis Mega Drive/Genesis]] underwent through three basic designs, not counting the various minor revisions and later consoles-on-a-chip. After the original model, there was the first redesign in 1993, known as the Mega Drive 2 in Japan and Europe and sold as the Genesis Core System (without the Sega prefix) in North America. It lacked the headphone jack and volume slider that was on front of the original model, as well as the DE-9 port of the back (which only the Japan-only Mega Modem add-on ended up supporting; later runs of the Model 1 had already omitted the port anyway). The Genesis 3 was released in 1997 exclusively in North America as a budget console by Majesco and has an even more compact design due to the removal of the expansion port and simplified internal components. Unfortunately this made the Genesis 3 incompatible with the Power Base Converter, UsefulNotes/SegaCD and [[UsefulNotes/Sega32X 32X]] add-ons, as well as certain games such as ''Virtua Racing'' and ''Gargoyles''.

* The UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn had two main models released: the launch HST-3200 model featured oval-shaped power and reset buttons along [=LEDs=] for power and access, while the HST-3220 model released in 1996 removed the [=LEDs=], replaced the oval power and reset buttons into round ones and combined the two SH-2 [=CPUs=] into one processor (allowing the price to be reduced). In Japan these two models were distinguished by the color of their cases: the Model 1 consoles have gray casing with blue power/reset/eject buttons, while the Model 2 consoles have white casing with a red eject button and gray power/reset buttons. The standard-issue controller was also recolored to match the consoles, with the Model 2 controller having the ABC buttons now colored green, yellow and blue (the shoulder buttons and the start button were red). In the U.S. and Europe, Sega made no distinction between the two models, having released both of them in black casing, although the Model 2 consoles in the west did come with a black version of the Japanese-style controller instead of the original redesigned U.S. controller.

** Like with Sharp doing third-party Famicoms, JVC and Hitachi also made third-party Saturns too in Japan (And one made by Samsung in Korea only), with the differences being the startup sequence to show the V-Saturn (for JVC made ones) and Hi-Saturn (for Hitachi made ones) logos. Like the regular Sega Saturn, the differences on the aesthetics being the colors of the units and buttons on both Model 1 and Model 2 versions, having Victor (JVC) or Hitachi branded controllers, and the Hitachi models also including the MPEG card, which is sold separately on other models.