Released by Sega in 1991/1992, the Mega CD (also known as the Sega CD in the US), is a CD-ROM add-on for the Sega Mega Drive.
Mega CD featured additional hardware helping the Mega Drive deliver improved graphics. Audio soundtracks benefit from being CD quality. The Mega CD saw the introduction of many FMV (Full Motion Video) games. Many FMV games appeared on the Mega CD such as Night Trap, Sewer Shark & Road Avenger. FMV games such as Night Trap courted a lot of controversy in the early 1990s. Although they seem very timid by today’s standards, governments voiced concerns about the impact of violence in video games on children.
With the technical limitations of the Mega Drive and Mega CD, users did not see much of an improvement overall. With the exception of the newly introduced FMV games, games were mostly Mega Drive quality with CD soundtracks. With the price proving prohibitive for a large proportion of users, people could just not justify the huge cost for very little gain in graphical fidelity or gaming experience.
The Mega CD retailed until 1996.
How To Emulate This System?
Sega Mega CD emulation is reasonably well catered for, we recommend taking a look at RetroArch if you are seeking an all-in-one solution. RetroArch emulates a large number of systems including the Sega Mega CD. RetroArch is a front end that utilises emulator ‘cores’, it is reasonably easy to use and has lots of good supporting documentation on how to use it. RetroArch is available across a number of platforms including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Raspberry Pi and many consoles. Take a look at our quick start guide for RetroArch which can get you up and running in 5 minutes.
Also, check out the other Sega Mega CD emulators we enjoy using:
| Emulator | Description | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| KEGA Fusion | KEGA Fusion is hands down the best stand-alone emulator for Windows, Mac & Linux. It emulates SG-1000, Master System, Game Gear, Mega Drive, Mega CD & 32X games. | Windows / Mac / Linux |
A lifelong avid gamer and computing enthusiast, Matt has decades of Retro Gaming experience. Now over 40 years old, Matt now even considers himself retro, but fortunately, nobody has developed a Matt emulator (not yet at least!).
