When did the Sega Genesis Model 2 come out?

The Sega Genesis Model 2 was released in 1993.

How many games are licensed for the Sega Genesis Model 2?

Approximately 915 licensed games were released for the Sega Genesis Model 2.

How much did the Sega Genesis Model 2 cost at launch?

The Sega Genesis Model 2 launched at $99 USD.

How many Sega Genesis Model 2 units were sold?

Around 30.8 million Sega Genesis Model 2 units were sold worldwide.

Can the Sega Genesis Model 2 be modded?

The Sega Genesis Model 2 supports softmodding — no hardware modification required. Custom firmware: N/A; flashcarts: MegaSD (FPGA, plays CD and 32X too), Mega EverDrive Pro.

Sega Genesis Model 2

Variant of Sega Genesis

Manufacturer: Sega
Released: 1993
Generation: Gen 4
Type: Home
Launch price: $99
Units sold: 30.8M

About Sega Genesis Model 2

The Sega Genesis, known as the Mega Drive outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in October 1988 in Japan as the Mega Drive, and in August 1989 in North America as the Genesis. In 1990, it was distributed as the Mega Drive by Virgin Mastertronic in Europe, Ozisoft in Australasia, and Tectoy in Brazil. In South Korea, it was distributed by Samsung Electronics as the Super Gam*Boy and later the Super Aladdin Boy.

Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).

Read about the Sega Genesis Model 2 in the Chapter 3: The Bit Wars era of our long-form console history.

Library & collector facts

Software library

915licensed games

North America: 712
Japan: 539
PAL: 752

Best-selling game

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

What's different from Sega Genesis

+ Added

Smaller, lighter chassis (~50% volume reduction)
Cheaper manufacturing (revised PCB)
Updated Sega logo and styling

− Removed

3.5mm headphone jack with volume slider (defining Phat Genesis feature, beloved by audio enthusiasts and FM-music fans)
Original discrete YM2612 FM sound chip on some later revisions — replaced with integrated ASIC that sounds noticeably different
EXT port on some revisions (Mega Net/modem compatibility lost in some regions)

± Changed

audio: Discrete YM2612 FM synth + dedicated DAC → integrated ASIC FM on later VA revisions — audible differences in games like Streets of Rage 2 (muddier bass, hissier highs)
form factor: Bulky angled Phat with prominent volume slider → flat compact rectangle
compatibility: Full Sega CD and 32X compatibility retained → still compatible with Sega CD Model 2 and 32X (Model 1 Sega CD needs spacer)

Lineage

← Sega Master SystemSega Genesis Model 2Sega Saturn →

Pricing

Launch price (1993)

🇺🇸 USD: $99

Launch titles & exclusives

Launch titles

Altered Beast · Last Battle · Space Harrier II · Super Thunder Blade · Tommy Lasorda Baseball · World Championship Soccer · Ghouls 'n Ghosts · Truxton · Forgotten Worlds · Mystic Defender

Pack-in game

Altered Beast (early NA bundles); Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 onward — the system-seller bundle that defined the platform)

Notable exclusives

Sonic the Hedgehog 1/2/3 & Knuckles · Streets of Rage trilogy · Phantasy Star II/III/IV · Shining Force I & II · Gunstar Heroes · Comix Zone · Vectorman · Toejam & Earl · Ranger X · Alien Soldier · Castlevania: Bloodlines · Rocket Knight Adventures · Eternal Champions · Earthworm Jim 1 & 2 · Dynamite Headdy · Beyond Oasis · The Story of Thor

Final licensed game

Tectoy continued producing Mega Drive games in Brazil into the 2010s; Pier Solar and the Great Architects (2010, indie release) is widely cited as the highest-profile late release

Most valuable collectible

Pier Solar CIB (~$200+); Adventures of Batman & Robin (~$300+ CIB); Mickey Mania (rare CIB); Tempo (~$150+); Sega Genesis Classics gold-color promotional carts

Hardware specs

Cpu: Motorola 68000 @ 7.6 MHz, Zilog Z80 @ 3.58 MHz
Ram: 64 KB RAM, 64 KB VRAM, 8 KB audio RAM
Sound: Yamaha YM2612, Texas Instruments SN76489

Hardware revisions

Model 1(1988)
original launch hardware ('Genesis Model 1' with 'High Definition Graphics' badge), separate Power Base Converter for SMS support, EXT port for the (cancelled) Mega Modem, the only model that handles the analog YM2612 sound chip's true output — collector-prized for FM audio
Model 2(1993)
cost-reduced redesign, slightly different audio output (collector debate about which sounds 'better'), more reliable
Model 3(1998)
cheaper plasticky redesign, no headphone jack, no expansion port
Nomad(1995)
portable Genesis with composite TV-out, ~3 hours on 6 AAs (poor battery life)
Tectoy Mega Drive 4(Brazil)
built-in games with HDMI output (modern production)

Launch colorways & special editions

Launch colors

Black (only color)

Special editions

Limited bundle SKUs (Sonic 2 pack-in, Lion King bundle, NHL bundle, World Cup USA '94 Edition)
No major themed editions

Modding scene

Difficulty: soft-mod
Custom firmware: N/A; flashcarts: MegaSD (FPGA, plays CD and 32X too), Mega EverDrive Pro

Reception & legacy

Launch reception

Strong — Sega's aggressive 'Genesis Does What Nintendon't' campaign and a 2-year head start over the SNES gave it real competitive footing in NA

Notable controversies

Audio downgrade on VA revisions is a major collector concern — VA4, VA5, VA6 boards each sound progressively different, with VA6 widely considered the worst-sounding Genesis ever made; loss of headphone jack annoyed FM-synth music enthusiasts

Cultural significance

Sega's commercial peak; nearly tied Nintendo in NA during 16-bit era; Sonic established as cultural icon; the 1993 congressional hearings prompted by Genesis-vs-SNES Mortal Kombat directly created the ESRB rating system