Genesis
Sega's Genesis—or Mega Drive, as it's known outside of North America—was the company's second major home video game console. Released in 1988, the 16-bit system was marketed as more of an adult-oriented competitor to Nintendo's Super NES. While family-friendly games like Ecco the Dolphins and the Sonic the Hedgehog series were popular among Genesis gamers, so were more mature titles like Mortal Kombat, Mutant League Football, and General Chaos. Other popular games included Phantasy Star 2, Shadowrun, John Madden Football, and NBA Jam. Accessories for the Genesis included the Menacer light gun and the Mega Modem. Add-ons like the Sega CD, Sega 32X, and the subscription-based Sega Channel helped extend the lifespan of the Genesis, which remained in production through 1997. With nearly 31 million units sold, the Genesis was the first console to truly challenge Nintendo's stranglehold on the home console market.
