What other Sega Genesis Clones Are there?

[racketboy]

I’m looking to do a roundup post of Sega Genesis clones, much like the existing NES clones. Now I realize many of the Genesis clones also have NES and/or SNES functionality, but I want to make sure I have an extensive list of options that we can share with the readers.
So please list off any names/titles of clones systems that you know of that support Genesis/Megadrive cartridges and if you know of any reviews and/or lists of strengths and weaknesses of the particular models, that would be wonderful. Thanks so much for your help!
Here’s my list to start with:

Retron 3 Video Game System for NES, SNES and Genesis games
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... amingwi-20

Hyperkin Sega Genesis Gen Mobile Portable System w/ 20 Sega Games Built-in & Cartridge Slot
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... amingwi-20

Innex Sega Genesis Retrogen Handheld Game
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... amingwi-20

Hyperkin Officially Licensed Sega Genesis Gen Core System w/ 20 Sega Games
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... amingwi-20

Innex Sega Genesis Firecore Classic Console
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... amingwi-20

Innex Sega Genesis Retrobit Portable Handheld
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... amingwi-20

Hyperkin FC/Genesis Dual Action 2-in-1 for Sega Genesis & NES 8-bit Games
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... amingwi-20

Yobo NES/SNES/Genesis FC3 Plus Gaming System
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... amingwi-20

Genesis TV Gamepad Controller with SD Card Slot
http://www.retrothing.com/2009/09/sega- ... games.html

[emwearz]

There is the Blaze Megadrive
http://www.play.com/Gadgets/Gadgets/4-/8922102/Sega-Mega-Drive-Console-With-15-Games/Product.html

Which was recently sold at Kmart stores in Australia.

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=23446&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

It has 15 games built in and is region free. It is also advertised as having a 50/60hz switch which Droid Army has said it doesnt as well as the console itself running slow compared to a first party Megadrive.

It seems similar to the 'Sega Genesis Firecore Classic Console'.

[Hobie-wan]

I'd almost consider the Gen 3 a clone since it consolidates board components just like NOAC clones do.

[samsonlonghair]

Actually, The Genesis 3 is MORE like a clone than the newer gen core, firecore, or blaze mega drive.

Let me explain:

Majesco copied and simplified real sega hardware in order to manufacture the Genesis 3. In the process, they removed expensive compatibility features (SegaCD, 32X, powerbase convertor, and Virtua Processor) in order to create cheap hardware that could play nearly all Genesis games.

On the other hand, At@games produces almost all of the current genesis "clones". I used those quotation marks because these machines aren't copies of Sega hardware at all. At@games uses atom-based processors and software emulation to play Genesis games. That software emulation is the reason why a modern blaze, firecore, or gen core can't run games nearly as well as 1998's Genesis 3.

I could give you more information on the subject of at@games if you think it's valuable to the article you're going to write.

[samsonlonghair]

Here are some Genesis hardware clones

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Radica released some officially licensed "Arcade Legends" plug-n-play games.

These used appllication-speciffic integrated circuits (basically a very cheap geneisis-on-a-chip solution). Each one has a controller of varying color and a "mini-genesis" with the ASIC chip, composite video, and mono sound.
I have three of these. I have a blue controller that has Sonic 1, Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Kid Chameleon, Dr. R's Mean Bean Machine, and Flicky. I have a red controller which comes with Sonic 2, Ecco the Dolphin, The Ooze, Columns, Gain Ground, and Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle. I also have Radica's Street Fighter II Special Champion Edition which comes with two six-button controllers (red and blue). This is the only one that supports two players. Ghouls'N Ghosts is included as a one-player game. I hear Radica also made a gold controller that just has sonic games. I don't have this one, so I can't vouch for it.
http://www.amazon.com/Sega-Genesis-Radica-Plug-Games/dp/B000N0T21K
http://www.amazon.com/ARCADE-LEGENDS-SEGA-GENESIS-2/dp/B00066LG60/ref=pd_sbs_t_1
http://www.engadget.com/2005/01/07/radica-games-announces-standalone-street-fighter-ii-unit/
http://segaretro.org/Legends_Series?rdfrom=http%3A%2F%2Finfo.sonicretro.org%2Findex.php%3Ftitle%3DPlay_TV_Legends%26redirect%3Dno
I heard Ben Heck hacked a cartridge port onto one of these things, but that seems like more trouble than it's worth to me.

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In Brazil, Tectoy released the officially licensed Mega Drive 3.

The circuitry in this is a 580G ASIC. This genesis-on-a-chip solution comes in a Genesis 2 shell. it includes a Pal/NTSC switch, an ENG/JAP switch, a varying number of built-in games, and a cartridge port. Tectoy's Mega Drive 3 Can't support Sega CD, 32X, or power base converter (like most clones) but some versions can play Virtua Racing. The compatibility is great, but the audio circuitry is notoriously bad. In 2007, tectoy Eliminated the cartridge port and started increasing the number of built-in games.
http://www.tectoy.com.br/produto_interna.php?id=6
http://segaretro.org/Tec_Toy_Mega_Drive
Tectoy also produces another product called the Mega Drive 3 which is totally different. confusing, right? This one has a bunch of built-in EA games and a built-in genesis software emulator with a bunch of ROMs. I hear this has a processor designer for a cell phone, but I'm having a hard time finding the specs. Don't ask me why Tectoy produces two completely different consoles called Mega Drive 3. Try not to confuse the two. I wouldn't consider this a "clone" really; it's just an emulator.
http://www.tectoy.com.br/produto_interna.php?id=26

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If that other version of Tectoy's Mage Drive 3 isn't confusing enough, here's where it gets even weirder. Tectoy now makes the Mega Drive 4.

From what I can gleam, this uses the same circuitry as the other mega drive 3 (the one I called an emulator, not a clone). Just to make things weirder, Tectoy threw in a guitar controller and a guitar hero knock off.
http://www.tectoy.com.br/produto_interna.php?id=39

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Back on the subject of real hardware clones, (and yes I see the irony of a "real" clone) here's the Scorpion XVI.

These pirate units were manufactured by Aito (which is now one of the biggest automotive manufacturers in China). Then they were distributed by a British company called Scorpion (who also distributed the scorpion VII famiclone). And finally, they were sold in UK hobby shops called Beaties (which mainly sold model train kits, rc cars, etc). They showed a blatant disregard for copyright laws by selling unlicensed Mega Drive clones to directly compete against Sega's hardware in the early ninties. The Scorpion XVI came with a six-button controller (as big as a three-button controller) and a PAL/NTSC switch. One very unusual feature on the Scorpion 16 is the second "hidden" cartridge port on the bottom. You can take the circuit board out of any MD/Genesis game and install it in this "hidden" cartridge port. This second port is one of the worst kept secrets in piracy. The Scorpion XVI is incompatible with the 32X (like most), but it is compatible with the Mega CD. Aito also manufactured similar clones called the "Turbo Aito," "Froggy 16," and "Electrolab MG16" sold in international markets including Brazil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg-E2jXVx5k

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The unholy love child of a Nintendo and a Genesis, The GN Twin is either a fanboy's wet dream or wost nightmare.

The GN twin continues the fad of cramming multiple systems into a clone. In this case we see one of Yobo's crappy Nintendo-on-a-Chip boards paired with Tectoy's decent 580G Genesis-on-a-chip boards. I'm not going to spend much time talking about Yobo's NoaC; suffice to say it's crap. Tectoy's 580G GoaC is almost exactly the same as the one released years earlier on the Mega Drive 3 (the hardware-based MD3). This means that SegaCD, 32X, and Power base convertor are a no-go, but Virtua Racing will work. Like Tectoy's Mega Drive 3, expect excellent compatibility but poor audio. The GN Twin comes with the region switches we've come to expect from this kind of clone, but the region switches are only good for the Genesis/MD side of things; 60-pin Famicom games won't work without some kind of adaptor. The controller looks like a Genesis six-button, but the ports are different from real genesis controllers. This means you can't plug real genesis controllers into a GN twin and vice-versa. The controllers follow Sega's ABC layout which means that NES controls are mapped backwards. One weird feature of the GN twin is that the genesis cartridge sits backwards in the cartridge port. Go figure.
http://www.amazon.com/GN-Twin-Genisis-Nintendo-Entertainment-System/dp/B0014421BW
http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=23166

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A slight improvement over the GN Twin, The Gen-X is basically a newer version of the same.

The Gen-X has a slightly newer Nintendo-on-a-chip and a slightly newer Genesis-on-a-chip. Again, I won't spend much time on the NoaC; suffice to say it's slightly less crappy. Tectoy has manufactured a revised version of their 580G GoaC. Still no SegaCD or 32X support; Virtua Racing still works; the audio is still poor. The notable improvement is that the Model 2 Master System converter works. I've never found a model 2 powerbase converter stateside, so this is only relevant to gamers with access to the european model 2 master system converter. A model 1 powerbase converter could work in theory, but it's not shaped right. I'm sure a modder would have no problem fixing that. The Gen-X has the same controllers as the GN twin (and the problems associated). Overall, there's very little difference between the two.
http://www.amazon.com/Gen-x-Station-Video-System-Genesis/dp/B00142GOOO

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It's 1:13 AM as I type this, so I'll be going to sleep soon. I'll try to add info on more Genesis clones tomorrow evening.

[galaxy_ranger]

One glaring weakness that would be worth mentioning in a review of the Firecore is that it cannot save/delete/over-write saved games. You can load games that were previously saved on game cartridges, but saving new games is not possible. At the time I purchased one there were a number of reviews for the system on youtube, but none of them made mention of this unusual, but key fact.

[Flake]

One glaring weakness that would be worth mentioning in a review of the Firecore is that it cannot save/delete/over-write saved games. You can load games that were previously saved on game cartridges, but saving new games is not possible. At the time I purchased one there were a number of reviews for the system on youtube, but none of them made mention of this unusual, but key fact.

Wow, that'd be a total deal breaker for me.

[pedrocasilva]

Majesco copied and simplified real sega hardware in order to manufacture the Genesis 3. In the process, they removed expensive compatibility features (SegaCD, 32X, powerbase convertor, and Virtua Processor) in order to create cheap hardware that could play nearly all Genesis games.

You're wrong; SegaCD required his own connector but other than that 32x, powerbase converter and the Virtua Processor were a screw up, they basically didn't rewire some stuff on the newer hardware because it wasn't widely used/common and broke those games in the process. It has to do with the Z80, I think.

It's possible to do that wiring:

-> http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=121561

But understandly and judging for the price such hardware goes... most are not really willing when there are cheaper alternatives who do that from the get go.


I'll contribute to this thread by speaking about a clone named Mega Game II, it's basically a Mega Drive II and the sticker says it is made in taiwan but it's said it was actually manufactured in Azores, Portugal; it's also said it was actually licenced and was sold by the national distributor. this mega drive though had it's own set of features.



it's power button is a slider-type like the japanese mega drive 2, except keeping the PAL red color scheme and the place were the cartridges go is like the japanese version too, meaning it'll accomodate both PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J cartridges.

On top of that, it's actually region free and that region free was realized in two revisions, the first and most soughted over is the one who had a 50/60 hz switch, it didn't have region lock but it required people to flip a switch according to the region of the game to get games to run at the proper speed, and the other one did everything in an automatic way, if you put a US game on it it'll play at 60 hz, if you put a PAL one it'll be 50 hz.

Now the later is actually more evolved, but the first one is the most sought over because it can, force PAL games to run at their original 60 Hz speed.

It's compatible with 32x, Sega CD and Master System converter

Here's the switch version:

[Hobie-wan]

(Mega Game II info)

Interesting. That's pretty cool that it had the speed switch and capability built in. Also, welcome to the forum.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Actually, The Genesis 3 is MORE like a clone than the newer gen core, firecore, or blaze mega drive.

Let me explain:

Majesco copied and simplified real sega hardware in order to manufacture the Genesis 3. In the process, they removed expensive compatibility features (SegaCD, 32X, powerbase convertor, and Virtua Processor) in order to create cheap hardware that could play nearly all Genesis games.

On the other hand, At@games produces almost all of the current genesis "clones". I used those quotation marks because these machines aren't copies of Sega hardware at all. At@games uses atom-based processors and software emulation to play Genesis games. That software emulation is the reason why a modern blaze, firecore, or gen core can't run games nearly as well as 1998's Genesis 3.

I could give you more information on the subject of at@games if you think it's valuable to the article you're going to write.

Close, but no cigar.

The Genesis 3 isn't a clone, it's actual Genesis hardware, and I don' mean like clone Genny hardware, I mean REAL Genny hardware. There's a real Z80, actual YM262 and genuine 6800CPU, and it's designed to play only Genesis games for a reason. After all, in 1998 nobody cared about the 32X or the Sega CD; especially since the Model 3 Genesis is smaller than the 32X and absolutely minuscule when compared to the Sega CD. Same thing goes for the Master System Power Base Converter, who cared about the Master System in 1998/1999? Certainly not the parents who were buying the Model 3 for their kids at $19.99.

Also, the incompatibility issues with games on the model 3 only occur with two known games, Gargoyles and Virtua Racing. The real fact is that both of those games are pretty bad, with the Genesis version of Virtua Racing being especially so.