2012 Review : SEGA MEGA CD

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

( Tradition Chinese / English )

Although I am busy during this period, I often looking for some funny from my PC. Today, the Intel CORE i3 CPU can able to run all the 80-90s games with perfectly.

As per topic, here is going to discuss for SEGA CD ROM.

Here does not use the technology data to explain this console, because I am not understand such knowledge.

Purpose for the market：

Absolutely,  this is counter for Super Nintendo. However, the CD cost was high where made in Japan, it resulted the price was too expensive to consumers.  The good games also not much on it, because lack of good developers.

Function attached：

The rotating with zoom function can help for make 3D game. Game background can output from CD audio. This was very high grade at the old time. However, the sound effect still using the old sound card, and the  picture output still in 64 color.

The competitor of Super Nintendo can made the similar games to fulfill the market demand with lower cost. Its can able to show 256 color and inside the independent sound card can output great effect. The addition chip in the cassette also can help for run 3D game.

Inside the CPU from SEGA console is the faster one, but other points are relatively poor. In the 3D function, the host up and down seem work independent. There are no any strengthen to the games itself, the only different is the background use CD audio.

(As above, It is more easy to understand rather than technology figures)

Games Introduction：(The names changed color are suggest to play. If you found some game no recored as below which too rubbish with no value to play.)

ACT :

Wolfchild

Ultraverse Prime

Time Gal

Syndicate

Spider-Man vs. Kingpin
Cyborg 009

Sonic CD

Popful Mail

Ninja Warriors

Mickey Mania

Hook

Flink

Final Fight CD

Earnest Evans

Dungeon Explorer

Devastator

Demolition Man

Cliffhanger

Batman Returns

Annet Futatabi

5 in 1 Sega Arcade Classics

3 Ninjas Kick Back
Ecco the Dolphin
Ecco - The Tides Of Time
Earthworm Jim - Special Edition

SONIC CD is a must to play. Final Fight CD is the highest level of immigration version by internet assessment. Today, it still feel quite smooth for play. Devastator is the half-action with semi-shooting game. Batman Returns show the 3D shooting is excellent. About the 5 in 1 Sega Arcade Classics, this is no any different with the cassette version. Many of action games are garbage or not interesting for now, even don't understand why did the simply game use CD-ROM as storage. Some games also published in Super Nintendo.

SHT :
AH-3 Thunderstrike

Stellar Fire

Star Blade

Soul Star

Sol-Feace

Silpheed

Robo Aleste

Road Avenger

Novastorm

Night Striker

MicroCosm

Lords of Thunder

Keio Flying Squadron

Cobra Command

Cadilacs and Dinosaurs

Bloodshot

Battlecorps

AX-101

Android Assault

After Burner III
Adventures of Batman & Robin

The best shooting game is Robo Aleste and Android Assault, others trend to spare as rubbish. It is a freak period of CD-ROM games,  which some of the games only display films to interaction with player, like Road Avenger.

RPG :

Illusion City

Dark Wizard

Cosmic Fantasy

Aisle Lord
VAY
Mahou no Shoujo - Silky Lip

Here just record some famous RPG. Developers only focus on insertion of animation, but ignore the gameplay. Overall, the battle screen is very sloppy. On the contrary, the Super Nintendo of Final Fantasy series, which is most concern the gameplay.

RAC :

MEGA RACE

Jaguar XJ220

Formula 1 World Championship

F1 Circus

No one is good enough for today. I am strange with no 3D function on racing game. That's why I think the CD-ROM seem couldn't able to cope with the host. All the racing game almost are rubbish.

FIG :

Heavy Nova

Fatal Fury Special

Eternal Champions

Black Hole Assault

Battle Fantasy
Samurai Shodown

The best one is Fatal Fury Special, but not quite different with the version in Super Nintendo. I recommend play the original version of SNK.

AVG :

Space Adventure Cobra　

Snatcher (It is said that only SEGA CD with English version)

Masked Rider

Jurassic Park
Detonator Orgun

The first 2 AVG games are quite good, but today those has been out of fashion.

TAB [戰略]

三國志 (Three Kindoms)

Sim Earth - The Living Planet

Shing Force CD

Record of Lodoss War (羅德島戰記)

Racing Aces

Heroic Legend of Arslan

I don't know how to play Three Kingdoms. Shing Force CD is the better one, but the battle screen is boring for nowadays, and seem no need to released in CD.

Above has already record most of the games with total 10G capacity.  Generally, most game list is sort by prefix from the network. In fact, the games sort by type would be more convenient.

Download Suggestion：

Type the "Game name + SEGA CD" in Youtube for preview the game first. When you think which  is interesting, then type the "Game name + SEGA CD Download" in the Google. You will find a lot of download points. The most famous website is CoolRom. There are no any impact benefit with the developers. If you conscience sorry, just delete the files after played. It's just like ask a friend borrowed the games, and you are not formally held by the entity of these.

Emulator：

"FUSION 364" is the best! Please select PERFECT SYNC and HIGH PRIORITY in option. The SEGA CD page in Set Confit will request for USA BIOS or JAP BIOS etc. Just download the file from this http://emu-russia.net/en/files/bios/scd/。Then the emulator will be run smoothly.

One of shooting game - Silpheed, most download are less "cue" file after unzip. This is main problem for the game cannot run normally. Just use the free software "SegaCueMaker.zip" to create the "cue" file will help for solve.

Nowadays, you can get all of them from your strong PC, whether the old time that you may not afford to pay. Also, you can search for the package cover from SEGA Club. If some games out of this website, you can type Cover / Back + Game name in the google by image search. 

Conclusion:

Most games are disappointing from in MEGA CD. Some of the same games also released with Super Nintendo and selling as lower price. Meanwhile, some of MEGA CD games has been re-make as cart version. The different is deleted the animation with no CD Audio. Basically, the content in cart version is same. The last age of 16 Bit console, SEGA turn to back to focus on cassette development, and use the max performance to fight for Super Nintendo, like V.R. Racing etc. That's funny of cassette can able to better than the host with CD-ROM console. SEGA seem already walk on the wrong way in long time ago.

( Tradition Chinese / English )

★ As above the original article is tradition Chinese version translated from Google. You are welcome to point out the mistakes in English writing. Thank you!