When I first discovered Mega Drive Console and Games.

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

First to set the scene, the time was sometime during the original retail sales of the Sega Genesis (IE: TOO LONG AGO )

Place - Canada, Toronto Ontario to be specific.

The first ever Mega Drive game I ever heard about I seen in person and this is how that happened.

Curse by Micronet was my personal introduction to a "bigger world". Meaning, though I was aware video games and consoles were sold and enjoyed worldwide I was not aware in the differences in console names, styles, colors etc. A tiny electronics shop opened in my neighborhood and due to my typical curiosity I entered the shop and up on the shelf was a box with what looked to me to be a Sega Genesis except the coloring of the trim was slightly different and it had this really cool name "Mega Drive" so I asked and got the story how it was the "Japaneses import version of my beloved Genesis!

How cool I thought, sadly I did not have enough money to buy it BUT I did have enough to buy one of the import games on display and it was this very game, the cover art grabbed me immediately and I had not heard of this games "Curse" but I knew I liked games like Gradius and of course Life Force on NES was a old favorite and the style of this shooter reminded me of an upgraded version. So I bought it right then and there excitedly wondering what it would be like, the graphics represented on the box looked amazing. OF COURSE as you are probably thinking I was in for little bit of a shock when I attempted to plug the cartridge in, it was too wide for the slot! Now the weirdest part is, I was so disappointed and though I had not heard of this previously I was always a bit of a tinkerer so I took a nail file, dismantled the Genesis and began filing the slot sides, it seemed to take forever and the end result was not pretty but I plugged it in, turned it on and.....YES !!!!! It worked, and a whole new world was open to me. Of course the knowledge of this "mod" was well known to many and common place for many but when I did it I had no idea if it would actually work. Now there were pitfalls to be sure as I would also come to learn that some titles would still refuse to run due to regional lockouts and even more surprising some games would have unexpected content in the form of 16 bit boobs or unexpected amounts of blood etc, it would only be years later trying the same titles on a friends actual Mega Drive that I learned the content and sometimes even the title screens changed depending on if they were loaded onto a Genesis or Mega Drive lol. Still to me it was fascinating and magical and something I still enjoy today.

[Flojomojo]

It just occurred to me that knowledge of MD/SG is NOT a birthright, and since it's now 30 years old, there are likely huge swaths of people who never heard of the thing!

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

It just occurred to me that knowledge of MD/SG is NOT a birthright, and since it's now 30 years old, there are likely huge swaths of people who never heard of the thing!

 

This is true, I think due to our love and passion video gaming we forget sometimes that there are people who are not aware of the differences in consoles worldwide. I certainly know friends and family that played super Nintendo, Nes, Sega Genesis and other systems as children or teens that got video games from their parents or grandparents but beyond that would have had no idea. Today they maybe even picking up things like the Nes Classic plug and play, maybe even some AtGames clones but their awareness of these products comes either from what they've been given or are exposed to in casual day to day advertising or displays. Outside of this they do not immerse themselves in the hobby like most of us here and I'm sure they are aware that video games are for the most part enjoyed worldwide but that would probably be pretty much the extent of their knowledge on the subject.

[00010000]

Funny thing is I remember my dad getting me that Madden Sports Genesis package in '95 and I almost immediately started looking for other games to play xD. Haunting, Global Globetrotters, then eventually picking up stuff like SF2 Champion Edition and Gaires. I'm glad I diversified my gaming pickups so early, otherwise I'd probably be like some of the drones online that seem to think all Genesis is = Sonic and sports games.