Making a (figurative) stand for the Genesis

[Barry the Nomad]

Alright, so this started on YouTube in a comments section. Since having a discussion on YouTube is pointless, I thought I'd bring it up here.

Time and time again, gamers from different regions will call foul when one refers to the Genesis as the Genesis. "Its the mega drive dipshit!", "mega drive is a better name! I'll kill your mother!", "i preferr to calll it megadrive even tho im american cuz itz a kooler name!" etc.

This, to quote the AVGN, "brings my piss to a boil". Americans had been given the Genesis and we loved it dearly, the rest of the world was given the Mega Drive and loved it just as much. When American's recount fond memories of playing Sonic 2, it was (most likely) on the Genesis. Memorable game tunes became classic Genesis tunes (not to be confused with the Phil Collins Genesis tunes).

The games are plastered with the name Genesis, the console is stamped Genesis, so it is a Genesis. I played the Genesis and I'm proud of it. Is the Mega Drive a better name? That's debatable. I like Mega Drive when lumping the system with the Master System, Mega CD and Mega 32X. However, I like Genesis when lumping the system with the later Sega consoles like Saturn and Dreamcast. More non-techie, cosmic magical names.

Anyway, I just had to type all that because I'm getting very tired of the name Genesis being dragged through the dirt when discussing the console. I'll refer to Mega Drive when I'm talking about a Mega Drive system or game, thank you very much.

[dsheinem]

I thought this thread was about console support, console furniture or something similar.

Also, here's a cool picture:

[noiseredux]

I've never refered to it as Mega Drive. Nor would I call the Sega CD a Mega CD.

[t0yrobo]

I don't know why an American would insist on calling it a Mega Drive, unless they're refering to a foreign model specifically. It'd be like calling chips 'crisps' just because.

[Barry the Nomad]

I'll admit, since writing for the DCJY I've been using "cheers" much more often. But yeah, I think the need to replace American terms with Euro or Japanese terms begins with Otaku fanboys who insist on pronouncing character names in katakana , such as Sonniku instead of Sonic. Sort of brings them closer to a country that they love mentally and away from the country that they live in physically.

I'll also admit, that I refer to Jet Grind Radio as Jet Set Radio, and call Mew "Bis" or "Bisu" while in JSRF she became Ryth (and I still call her Bisu).

[noiseredux]

the only time I might call a game a "Mega Drive game" is if it was a non-US release.

[Gnashvar]

the only time I might call a game a "Mega Drive game" is if it was a non-US release.

Agree. I don't know what region is from but there's a Mega Drive without the red or the huge 16-bit writing on it. I like that one.

[jfrost]

I call it Mega Drive because I've come to know it as Mega Drive and grew up with a Mega Drive, not a Genesis. I don't care which name you use, as long as you make yourself understood.

But I'll still call it a Mega Drive. Consider it an old friend's nickname.

[Gnashvar]

You have to call it by what it is. If it's a North American NTSC machine it's a Genesis, if it's a European PAL console then it's the Mega Drive. Probotector is a Mega Drive game, Contra: Hard Corps is a Genesis game. It's the same console but different so each has it's own name.

[Barry the Nomad]

jfrost, thats totally cool, thats my point. However if you come into my house and play a game of Crack Down you better be saying that you're playing a Genesis game, or I'll politely show you the door.