Sega Multi-Mega

From Sega Retro

Multimega.jpg
Sega Multi-Mega
Manufacturer: Sega
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
HLP-0001
Sega Mega Drive
US
$399.99399.99[1] MK-4121
Sega Mega Drive
EU
MK-4121-50
Sega Mega Drive
UK
MK-4121-50
Sega Mega Drive
CA
MK-4121-22
Sega Mega Drive
BR
Sega Mega Drive
AS
MK-4121-07

The Sega Multi-Mega, known in North America as the Sega Genesis CDX and in Brazil as the Sega Multi-Mega CDX, is a combination Sega Mega Drive, Sega Mega-CD, and portable CD player developed by Sega and released in April 1994.

Hardware

As with any home Mega Drive, the unit needs to be plugged into a television in order for Mega Drive and Mega CD games to be played. It must also be connected to a power supply to be used in this way, however, as a CD player it can also be run on battery power, as the unit was also designed to be portable. Due to the Mega Drive additions, the unit is larger and heavier than most other portable CD players on the market at the time.

The Multi-Mega uses the same power adaptor and A/V leads as the Mega Drive model II. These are connected to the right hand side of the unit. Also included is an 1/8" headphone socket, which works for both CDs and games, and a volume control. There is also a line out socket for hooking up to a hi-fi system.

The unit features the last version of the Mega CD Bios, v.2.21. Like the Mega CD and the Sega Saturn, it is compatible with CD+G discs.

The front of the unit has controller port 1 on the far left, a power button in the middle, and controller port 2 on the far right. This spacing breaks compatibility with Electronic Arts' 4 Way Play multitap peripheral, and the Remote Arcade System. The functions of both these peripherals can still be obtained through third-party accessories or extension cables.

New to the Multi-Mega are CD controls seen on the top of the unit. From left to right these functions include; the open button for the CD lid, seek buttons for the CD player, a small LCD screen in the middle displaying the current track number (including which audio track is currently playing in-game or "ACCESS" when loading a game), play/pause button, a stop button, and a small blue reset button.

In all cases the Multi-Mega was packaged with a 6-button control pad, AC adaptor, and a stereo A/V cable (probably an RF cable in Europe). North American bundles included Sega Classics Arcade Collection (which contains Streets of Rage, Columns, Super Monaco GP, The Revenge of Shinobi and Golden Axe), Sonic CD and Ecco the Dolphin. In Brazil it was bundled with Night Trap.

The unit did not reach Japan as the Multi-Mega, but instead the design was licensed to Linguaphone, who rebranded the unit as the Linguaphone Education Gear. Very little is known about this version of the unit, though it can be assumed it was intended for education purposes.

Production of the Multi-Mega ceased when the Sega 32X hit the market, with Sega announcing that the Multi-Mega was a novelty item rather than a console designed for the mainstream audience. Multi-Megas were not designed to be used with the Sega 32X, but are fully compatible. They are also compatible with the Power Base Converter for Master System titles, and even the original design for the model 1 will work as the end section hangs far away from the back of the system.

The Multi-Mega's short production run means that it is often rarer and more expensive than standard Mega Drive and Mega CD consoles. Sega would later attempt to package a Mega Drive and 32X into one unit as the Sega Neptune, but this would never leave the prototype stage.

Gallery

Models

See: Multi-Mega consoles.

Magazine articles

Main article: Sega Multi-Mega/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

CDX MCD BR PrintAdvert.jpg
BR print advert
CDX MCD BR PrintAdvert.jpg
1994 05 - Multimega 1.jpg
ES print advert 1
1994 05 - Multimega 1.jpg
1994 05 - Multimega 2.jpg
ES print advert 2
1994 05 - Multimega 2.jpg
Suuri lelukirja FI 1994 Sega.jpg
FI advert (1994)
Suuri lelukirja FI 1994 Sega.jpg
Sega Beat us if you can flyer NL.png
NL flyer
Sega Beat us if you can flyer NL.png
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #57: "April 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:
  • (US) #57: "April 1994" (1994-xx-xx)[3]
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Print advert in (UK) #8: "May 1994" (1994-03-31)
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Print advert in (DE) #1994-06: "6/94" (1994-05-25)
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VAD 12 RU Dendy.jpg
Print advert in Video-Ace Dendy (RU) #12 (1994-10-28)
VAD 12 RU Dendy.jpg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (RU) #1: "1/1995" (1995-xx-xx)
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Genesis CDX advert RU.png
Print advert in Tricks (RU) #2: "2/95" (1995-xx-xx).
Genesis CDX advert RU.png
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (CZ) #17: "Květen 1995" (1995-05-01)
also published in:
  • (CZ) #18: "Červen 1995" (1995-06-01)[4]
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (CZ) #4: "Květen 1995" (1995-05-01)
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Gameland advert RU.png
Print advert in Tricks (RU) #3: "3/95" (1995-xx-xx). Also published in:
  • Tricks (RU) #4: "4/95" (1995-xx-xx)
  • Tricks (RU) #5: "5/95" (1995-xx-xx)
  • Biblioteka zhurnala Tricks. Vypusk 1. Mortal Kombat 1-3 (RU) #1 : "" (1995-xx-xx)
Gameland advert RU.png

Catalogues

References


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
Sega Mega-CD
Topics Technical specifications | History | Magazine articles | Promotional material
Hardware Mega CD (Asia | North America | Western Europe | Eastern Europe | South America | Australasia | Africa)
Sega Multi-Mega (Asia | North America | Europe | South America | Australasia)
Wondermega | LaserActive | CSD-G1M
Misc. hardware CD BackUp RAM Cart | Mega-CD Karaoke | Pro CDX
Development tools SNASM Mega-CD | PsyQ Mega-CD SDK | PSY-Q CD Emulation System (Mega-CD)
Unreleased hardware Game Genie