Mega Play

From Sega Retro

This article is about the arcade system. For the US magazine, see Mega Play (magazine).
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Mega Play
Manufacturer: Sega
Release Date RRP Code
Arcade
World
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The Mega Play is the name of a JAMMA-based arcade board with the ability to run Sega Mega Drive games. It was the second attempt by Sega to bring the home console to the arcades, following the Mega-Tech arcade system. Mega Play hardware saw a release throughout Asia and the PAL regions, but was not released in North America.

Hardware

On first glance, a Mega Play machine is very similar to a Mega-Tech one, but there are a number of key differences. Both allow the user to select from a number of built-in games via a menu, however whereas Mega-Tech can hold up to eight cartridges, Mega Play hardware can only store four. Mega-Tech and Mega Play cartridges are not interchangeable, and both systems contain modifications to stop arcade owners from purchasing and running cheaper retail Mega Drive cartridges instead. Also unlike Mega-Tech hardware, no Sega Master System games were released for Mega Play hardware.

Though there were fewer games released for Mega Play hardware than Mega-Tech hardware, each game was modified for use in the arcades. With Mega-Tech, the user inserts coins for time, and can die as often as he or she wants without repercussions. Mega Play differs in that a user pays for lives and is generally not hindered by time, similar to other arcade systems. All Mega Play games were modified to limit the number of extra chances (for example, Sonic the Hedgehog replaces all the extra life monitors).

The Mega Play system was seen as an upgrade to Mega-Tech, and could be housed within a Mega-Tech cabinet. Like Mega-Tech it was designed with two monitors in mind, one for game selection (top) and one for the game itself (bottom), however once a game is selected the top screen will display the contents of the bottom screen, allowing passers by to see the game in action and hopefully persuade them to have a go. EDIT: This was found out to be untrue. You only get video output from JAMMA and connector CN8 (JST 6P). CN8 is directly connected to the JAMMA video. On Mega Tech CN9 (JST 5P) would have the secondary video, however on Mega Play, that connector has data signals instead. Mega Play does not have a choice menu, and this is why the "Take Control" screen shows up before each demo when no credit inserted. And when there's credit inserted it just prompts you to press the Select button to cycle through games. So no second monitor unless you just want to mirror the first one. Mega Play is made compatible with the Mega Tech Cabinet because it was sold as conversion hardware. There was no "Mega Play Cabinet" but rather repurposed Mega Tech cabinets.

List of games

There are twelve games known to exist for the Mega Play hardware:

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Magazine articles

Main article: Mega Play/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Photo gallery

References


Sega arcade boards
Originating in arcades









Console-based hardware








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Sega Mega Drive
Topics Technical specifications (Hardware comparison) | History | List of games | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Merchandise | Cartridges | TradeMark Security System
Hardware Japan | North America | Western Europe | Eastern Europe | South America | Asia | South Korea | Australasia | Africa
EZ Games | LaserActive | Mega Jet | Mega PC | Mega Play | Mega-Tech System | Nomad | Teradrive | Mega Drive Mini | Mega Drive Mini 2
New Mega Drive | Tianli VCD/DVD Players | "Consoles on a chip" | Licensed clones (Magic 2 | Mega Game II | Power Pegasus | Super Bitman)
Unlicensed clones
Add-ons Game Box | Power Base Converter | Mega-CD | 32X (Mega-CD 32X) | Mega Modem | Demo System DS-16
Cases Sega Genesis Nomad Carrying Case | System Carry Case
Controllers Control Pad | Six Button Control Pad | 6 Button Arcade Pad | Arcade Power Stick 6B | Konami Justifier | MK-1470
Action Chair | Activator | Arcade Power Stick | Keyboard | MegaFire | Mouse | Mega Stick | Menacer | Remote Arcade System | Ten Key Pad
Accessories 4 Way Play | Cleaning System | Control Pad Extension Cord | Genesis Speakers | HeartBeat Catalyst | Region converter cartridges | Mega Terminal | Miracle Piano Teaching System | Nomad PowerBack | NordicQuest | RF Unit (Mega Drive 2) | SCART Cable (Mega Drive 2) | Stereo Audio Video Cable | Team Player | Video Monitor Cable
Network services Sega Channel | Sega Game Toshokan | Mega Anser | Mega Net | TeleBradesco Residência | XB∀ND
Development tools ERX 308P | ERX 318P | Sprobe | SNASM68K | SNASM2 (Mega Drive) | SNASM2 (32X) | PSY-Q Development System (Mega Drive) | PSY-Q Development System (32X) | 32X CartDev | Sega Mars Development Aid System | Sega 32X Development Target
Unreleased Edge 16 | Floppy Disk Drive | Mega Play 1010 | Sega VR | Teleplay System | Video Jukebox