History Platform / SegaCD

* Ricoh [=RF5C164=] [[note]]custom labelled as the Sega 315-5476A[[/note]] 16-bit 8 channel PCM chip running at 32 [=KHz=] (44.1 [=KHz=] for CD-DA), also it's own CPU running at 12 [=MHz=].

* Ricoh [=RF5C164=] [[note]]custom labelled as the Sega 315-5476A[[/note]] 16 bit 8 channel PCM chip running at 32 [=KHz=] (44.1 [=KHz=] for CD-DA), also it's own CPU running at 12 [=MHz=].

The Sega CD also received a number of enhanced ports of Genesis games, though many didn't have substantial changes outside of improved soundtracks and a bit of extra content. Despite ending up with a sizable library, the add-on was criticized for being improperly supported between the FMV games and the ports that didn't justify the high asking price. While completely original, non-FMV games do exist for the Sega CD, they're very few in number and are often overshadowed by the library's poor reputation (or ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'').

The add-on is probably best known for its association with [[InteractiveMovie Full-Motion Video]] games. While not the first or even last machine to host FMV games, they were prominently featured in Sega's aggressive marketing and very common for the add-on thanks to Creator/DigitalPictures, a major proponent of the format. The Sega CD also hosted Digital Picture's ''VideoGame/NightTrap'', which was immortalized by the controversy it created concerning portrayals of violence in video games. Since the add-on was bound by the parent system's palette limitations (except for the few CD games that also supported the 32X add-on), the live-action footage was reduced to "the most horrifying, blurry, reduced-color-palette mess imaginable", to quote Digital Pictures co-founder Ken Melville.

The Sega CD also received a number of enhanced ports of Genesis games, though many didn't have substantial changes outside of improved soundtracks and a bit of extra content. Between the FMV games and the ports, the add-on was criticized for having a poor library that didn't justify its high asking price. While completely original, non-FMV games do exist for the Sega CD, they're very few in number and are often overshadowed by the rest of the library (or ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'').

The Sega CD came about because Sega heard rumors of Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s deal with {{Creator/Sony}} to develop their own CD add-on, and also because NEC had just released their own CD attachment. Sega jumped the gun and pushed out their own attachment as a countermeasure: it allowed the Genesis to perform otherwise-impossible tricks similar to the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]], such as Mode 7 effects and sprite rotation.

* Same as the Genesis/Mega Drive, but has a extra chip that can do scaling and rotation effects like the UsefulNotes/SuperNES's Mode-7 chip (the Super [=NES=] has 2 [=PPU=]s, 1 for modes 0 to 6, and the other for mode 7) with the [=DPS1=] chip and playing FMV video.

The '''Sega CD''', also known as the '''Mega-CD''' in Europe and Japan, was a CD-based add-on for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. As its name would suggest, it allowed the Genesis to take advantage of the higher-capacity CD-ROM storage medium, enabling features such as FullMotionVideo and Red Book CD sound. Unfortunately, the Genesis'[=/=]Mega Drive's own processing power wasn't quite enough to take advantage of these features to the fullest. It was released in 1991 in Japan, with North America getting it in 1992 and Europe in 1993. The launch price was $299 (£270 in Great Britain), twice the price of the Genesis itself after it was given a price cut in 1991.

* ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD Sonic CD]]'' (the add-on's killer app and the only game which sold quite high and excellently)

* Like the main console, the CD add-on has limited support for real time 3D, such as the main fighter and enemies in ''Silpheed'' (with the backgrounds being pre-rendered full-motion videos) ''Stellar Fire'' and the port of ''Starblade''.

* 8 KB of back up RAM, with memory cartridges going at 128 KB

The add-on is probably best known for its association with [[InteractiveMovie Full-Motion Video]] games. While not the first or even last machine to host FMV games, they were very prolific on the Sega CD due to the company Creator/DigitalPictures releasing a number of titles dedicated to the format, including the infamous ''VideoGame/NightTrap''. Since the add-on was bound by the parent system's palette limitations (except for the few CD games that also supported the 32X add-on), the live-action footage was reduced to "the most horrifying, blurry, reduced-color-palette mess imaginable", to quote Digital Pictures co-founder Ken Melville.

The Sega CD came about because Sega heard rumors of Nintendo's deal with {{Creator/Sony}} to develop their own CD add-on, and also because NEC had just released their own CD attachment. Sega jumped the gun and pushed out their own attachment as a countermeasure: it allowed the Genesis to perform otherwise-impossible tricks similar to the SNES, such as Mode 7 effects and sprite rotation.

!!Games

* [[/index]]''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' series:[[index]]

* The sprites capabilities are to those of the Genesis/Mega Drive console, but the CD can do sprite scaling and Mode 7 effects.

* The sprites have identical specs to those of the Genesis/Mega Drive console, but can now do sprite scaling and Mode 7 effects.

* A 68000 chip running at 12.5 [=MHz=]. The 68000 chip already in the Genesis becomes the sound chips's CPU.

* A 2nd 68000 chip running at 12.5 [=MHz=], the main 68000 chip becomes the sound chips's CPU.

The '''Sega CD''', also known as the '''Mega-CD''' in Europe and Japan, is a CD-based add-on for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. It allowed the Genesis to take advantage of the higher-capacity CD-ROM storage medium, enabling features such as FullMotionVideo and Red Book CD sound. Unfortunately, the Genesis'[=/=]Mega Drive's own processing power wasn't quite enough to take advantage of these features to the fullest. It was released in 1991 in Japan, with North America getting it in 1992 and Europe in 1993. The launch price was $299 (£270 in Great Britain), twice the price of the Genesis itself after it was given a price cut in 1991.

The add-on is probably most well-known for its association with [[InteractiveMovie Full-Motion Video]] games. While not the first or even last machine to host FMV games, they were very prolific on the Sega CD due to the company Creator/DigitalPictures releasing a number of titles dedicated to the format, including the infamous ''VideoGame/NightTrap''. Since the add-on was bound by the parent system's palette limitations (except for the few CD games that also supported the 32X add-on), the live-action footage was reduced to "the most horrifying, blurry, reduced-color-palette mess imaginable", to quote Digital Pictures co-founder Ken Melville.

The Sega CD also received a number of enhanced ports of Genesis games, though many didn't have substantial changes outside of improved soundtracks and a bit of extra content. Between the FMV games and the ports, the add-on was criticized for having a poor library that didn't justify its high asking price. While completely original, non-FMV games do exist, they're very few in number and are often overshadowed by the rest of the library (or ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'').

[[caption-width-right:317:The original Sega CD model with a Genesis sitting on top of it.]]

The '''Sega CD''', also known as the '''Mega-CD''' in Europe and Japan, is a CD-based add-on for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. It allowed the Genesis to take advantage of the higher-capacity CD-ROM storage medium, enabling features such as FullMotionVideo and Red Book CD sound. Unfortunately, the Genesis'[=/=]Mega Drive's own processing power wasn't quite enough to take advantage of these features to the fullest. Since the add-on was bound by the parent system's palette limitations (except for the few CD games that also supported the 32X add-on), live-action footage was reduced to "the most horrifying, blurry, reduced-color-palette mess imaginable", to quote Creator/DigitalPictures co-founder Ken Melville.

The add-on generally known for having a poor library filled with a glut of of low-quality [[InteractiveMovie FMV games]]. While good games for the Sega CD do exist, they're overshadowed by the infamous FMV games an over-abundance of slightly upgraded Genesis ports. The library combined with the CD's high asking price ($299 at launch, basically twice the cost of the Genesis at the time) didn't exactly help the add-on's reputation even when it was new.

Both the Sega CD and the later [[[UsefulNotes/OtherSegaSystems 32X]] were commercial failures; in retrospect, these financial bombs along with the with the Genesis/Mega Drive's wildly different receptions in and out of Japan were precursors to the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn's lifetime and ensuing chain of events that led to Sega dropping out of the console race. Ironically, the {{UsefulNotes/SNESCDROM}} wound up becoming an albatross [[{{Vaporware}} and never saw release]].

The add-on generally known for having a poor library filled with a glut of of low-quality [[InteractiveMovie FMV games]]. While good games for the Sega CD do exist, they're overshadowed by the infamous FMV games an over-abundance of slightly upgraded Genesis ports. The library combined with the CD's high asking price ($299 at launch, basically three times the cost of the Genesis at the time) didn't exactly help the add-on's reputation even when it was new.

The add-on has a reputation for having a poor library. While good games for the CD do exist, they're overshadowed by a glut of low-quality [[InteractiveMovie FMV games]] and an over-abundance of slightly-upgraded Genesis ports. The library combined with the CD's high asking price ($299 at launch, basically three times the cost of the Genesis at the time) didn't exactly help.

The '''Sega CD/Mega-CD''' is a CD-based add-on which would allow it to take advantage of a higher-capacity storage medium, enabling features such as FullMotionVideo and Red Book CD sound. Unfortunately, the Genesis'[=/=]Mega Drive's own processing power wasn't quite enough to take advantage of these features to the fullest. Since the system was bound by the Genesis'[=/=]Mega Drive's palette limitations (except for the few CD games that also supported the 32X add-on), live-action footage was reduced to "the most horrifying, blurry, reduced-color-palette mess imaginable", to quote Creator/DigitalPictures co-founder Ken Melville.

The add-on has a reputation for having a poor library. While good games for the library do exist, they're overshadowed by a glut of low-quality [[InteractiveMovie FMV games]] and an over-abundance of slightly-upgraded Genesis ports. The library combined with the CD's high asking price ($299 at launch, basically three times the cost of the Genesis at the time) didn't help optics.

The Sega CD came about because Sega heard rumors of Nintendo's deal with {{Creator/Sony}} to develop their own CD add-on, and also because NEC had just released their own CD attachment. Sega jumped the gun and pushed out their own attachment as a countermeasure: it allowed the Genesis to perform otherwise-impossible tricks similar to the SNES, such as Mode 7 effects and sprite rotation. However, both [[UsefulNotes/OtherSegaSystems the CD add-on and the later 32X]] were commercial failures; in retrospect, these financial bombs along with the with the Mega Drive/Genesis' wildly different receptions in and out of Japan were precursors to the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn's lifetime and ensuing chain of events that led to Sega dropping out of the console race. Ironically, the {{UsefulNotes/SNESCDROM}} wound up becoming an albatross [[{{Vaporware}} and never saw release]].

The '''Sega CD/Mega-CD''' is a CD-based add-on which would allow it to take advantage of a higher-capacity storage medium, enabling features such as FullMotionVideo and Red Book CD sound. Unfortunately, the Genesis'[=/=]Mega Drive's own processing power wasn't quite enough to take advantage of these features to the fullest. Commonly believed to be a flop, the add-on actually sold well enough to be incorporated into some models of the console (the JVC [=Wondermega/X'Eye=] the CDX/Multi-Mega), though it never found the sort of popularity that NEC's CD add-on for the PC Engine did in Japan. Since the system was bound by the Genesis'[=/=]Mega Drive's palette limitations (except for the few CD games that also supported the 32X add-on), live-action footage was reduced to "the most horrifying, blurry, reduced-color-palette mess imaginable", to quote Creator/DigitalPictures co-founder Ken Melville.

[[redirect:UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis]]