History Platform / Sega32X

* Unless a Sega CD was attached, owners of a Genesis Model 2 with the [=VA0=] revision would need to attach a special [[https://www.gameplayandtalk.com/main/psa-sega-32x-freezing-issues-on-va0-model-2-genesis-consoles extension unit]] to the side expansion port due to a crashing issue.[[note]]This issue was corrected in later revisions of the Model 2.[[/note]]

* The 32X was completely incompatible with the Pioneer [=LaserActive=]'s PAC-S1/PAC-S10 Genesis add-on, which was inconvenient for the tiny handful of gamers with a [=LaserActive=].[[note]]For added detail, the [=LaserActive=] has no native RGB output like a stock Genesis, meaning that the 32X can't receive the proper A/V input for its image compositing. Even if you mod a [=LaserActive=] to include RGB output, the 32X's form factor would obfuscate the console's CD and Platform/LaserDisc doors and the PAC's controller ports anyway.[[/note]]

* Like "Display" above, the 32X could not access the output of the PSG and [=OPN2=] chips within the console internally (which the Sega CD could do with Model 2 consoles via the Expansion Port). While the 32X is able to pass its own stereo sound channels down to the Genesis/Mega Drive's sound processor via pins B1 and B3 in the Genesis/Mega Drive cartridge slot, it has to receive audio back ''from'' the Genesis/Mega Drive's own A/V-out port via the patch cabling. Consequently, the 32X passes the audio channels back out via its own A/V-out port. This isn't a problem when used with a Model 2, as the 9-pin A/V connector includes two stereo channels in addition to a mono channel, but it becomes a problem when using a Model 1, which uses an 8-pin output that ignores stereo and includes a single channel for mono sound.[[note]]For further detail, the 9-pin port on later models was able to support both stereo and mono after removing a dedicated pin for ground (moving the ground connection exclusively to the 9-pin's outer metal collar) and incorporating pins for left and right audio in addition to a pin for mono audio.[[/note]] Consequently, the only available options for 32X audio are to a.) use it with a Model 1 and only have mono sound output from the 32X, b.) use a Model 2 and have full stereo and/or mono from the 32X, c.) use the stereo headphones jack on a Model 1, or d.) use the Sega CD's stereo output.

* Model 1 owners couldn't get stereo sound without using the headphone jack on the front of the unit, or without using the stereo output from the back of a Sega CD.[[note]]If you want to get technical, this is because of the 8-pin port on the Model 1, which only outputs mono audio in addition to the various image and power connections. The 9-pin port on later models does away with a dedicated pin for ground (moving the ground connection exclusively to the connector's outer metal collar) and incorporates pins for left and right audio in addition to a pin for mono audio. While the 32X is able to pass its own sound channels down to the Genesis' sound processor through pins B1 and B3 in the Genesis cartridge slot, it has to receive audio back ''from'' the Genesis through the rear connector, meaning that it can only receive and output mono sound when using a stock conversion cable. The Sega CD doesn't run into this problem because it receives stereo audio from the Genesis' sound processor via the expansion port.[[/note]]

* Like "Display" above, the 32X could not access the output of the PSG and [=OPN2=] chips within the console internally (unlike the Sega CD). While the 32X is able to pass its own stereo sound channels down to the Genesis/Mega Drive's sound processor via pins B1 and B3 in the Genesis cartridge slot, it has to receive audio back ''from'' the Genesis/Mega Drive's own A/V-out port via the patch cabling. Consequently, the 32X passes the audio back out via its own A/V-out port. This isn't a problem when used with a Model 2, as the 9-pin A/V connector includes two stereo channels in addition to mono, but it becomes a problem when using a Model 1, which only outputs mono sound through its 8-pin output. Consequently, the only available options for 32X audio are to a.) use a Model 1 with mono sound only, b.) use a Model 2, which natively outputs stereo sound, c.) use the stereo headphones jack on a Model 1, or d.) use the Sega CD's stereo output.

* Like "Display" above, the 32X could not access the output of the PSG and [=OPN2=] chips within the console internally (unlike the Sega CD). While the 32X is able to pass its own stereo sound channels down to the Genesis/Mega Drive's sound processor via pins B1 and B3 in the Genesis cartridge slot, it has to receive audio back ''from'' the Genesis/Mega Drive's own A/V-out port via the patch cabling. Consequently, the 32X passes the audio back out via its own A/V-out port. This isn't a problem when used with a Model 2, as the 9-pin A/V connector includes two stereo channels in addition to mono, but it becomes a problem when using a Model 1, which only outputs mono sound through its 8-pin output. Consequently, the only available options for 32X audio are to a.) use a Model 1 with mono sound only, b.) use a Model 2, which natively outputs stereo sound, c.) use the stereo headphones jack on a Model 1, d.) use the Sega CD's stereo output.

* The 32X was completely incompatible with the Pioneer [=LaserActive=]'s PAC-S1/PAC-S10 Genesis add-on, which was inconvenient for the tiny handful of gamers with a [=LaserActive=].[[note]]For added detail, the [=LaserActive=] has no native RGB output like a stock Genesis, meaning that the 32X can't receive A/V in for its image compositing. Even if you mod a [=LaserActive=] to include RGB output, the 32X's form factor would obfuscate the console's CD and Platform/LaserDisc doors and the PAC's controller ports anyway.[[/note]]

* Model 1 owners couldn't get stereo sound without using the headphone jack on the front of the unit.

* The 32X was completely incompatible with the Pioneer [=LaserActive=]'s PAC-S1/PAC-S10 Genesis add-on, which was inconvenient for the tiny handful of gamers with a [=LaserActive=].

* Most noticeably, however, is that the hardware has no internal access to the console's video hardware output. Instead it has a compositor chip which genlocks RGB input signals and then draws its 3D on top of that. Consequently, the add-on requires a connection to the RGB and sync signals from the A/V-out port on the Genesis/Mega Drive, and as a side effect, may degrade the video output of the latter a bit due to the additional cabling.

* Like "Display" above, the 32X could not access the output of the PSG and [=OPN2=] chips within the console internally. Consequently, to link the audio of the Genesis/Mega Drive to the 32X, you need to connect the latter to either a) the audio-out RCA jacks on a Model 2, b) the stereo headphones jack on the original model, or c) the audio out of the CD add-on.

The handling of the 32X heavily contributed to damaging Sega's reputation, especially in conjunction with the PR disaster that was the Saturn's surprise early North American launch, and in hindsight was a likely factor in Nintendo and the SNES ultimately beating out Sega and the Genesis in the fourth-generation console war. In fact, Nintendo took a page out of Sega's playbook and advertised their new KillerApp ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' (which released at the same time as the 32X) as boasting cutting-edge graphics ''without'' the need of special add-ons. The only consolation one can give the add-on was that it at least succeeded in outselling the Atari Jaguar, though that's not saying much.

The 32X was released in North America in November 1994, with a December release for Japan and a January 1995 release for Europe. It had an incredibly quick turnaround time in development, which had only been started in January of 1994. Not wanting a repeat of the Sega CD, Sega managed to keep the price of the 32X at a relatively reasonable $159.99 (£169.99 in the UK). When the Saturn ended up launching in Japan around the same time as the 32X was in North America, the add-on's marketing shifted to emphasize it being a budget option compared to its big brother.

Due to Sega abruptly ending 32X support 2 years after its launch, many games were known to be in active development which never saw the light of day. The list of unreleased games for the system is larger than the entire library of officially-released games. A full list can be found [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cancelled_32X_games here]], but some of the big ones were:

* ''Videogame/{{Rayman}}''

* ''Franchise/XMen''

In the early [[TheNineties '90s]], Creator/{{Sega}} had successfully supplanted Creator/{{Nintendo}} as the leader of the video game console market with their 16-bit Platform/SegaGenesis. While the system had failed to gain traction in Japan, it sold incredibly well in the American and European regions thanks to the shrewd efforts of Sega's autonomous western branches. However, as the generation wore on, 3D games emerged in the arcades as the next big thing, and it was clear that everyone wanted to see this evolution of the medium on their home [=TVs=]. Sega knew this and was already hard at work producing a new console capable of displaying polygons, but it would still be a work-in-progress when the apparently all-powerful Platform/AtariJaguar released in 1993 with its alleged 64-bit graphical capabilities. Spooked, Sega of America proposed a stopgap measure to keep the Genesis relevant until their real next gen console was ready, and started work on the '''32X'''.[[note]]Known in Europe as the Mega [=32X=] and in Japan as the Super [=32X=].[[/note]]