Mega Drive consoles in North America

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The Sega Mega Drive debuted in North America in August 1989, with a regionwide release in September of that year. Due to trademark issues, it was renamed the "Sega Genesis", and has always operated under this name under this region.

In the US, the console was distributed by Sega between 1989 and 1997. It was then passed to Majesco, who kept the system alive for an extra two years before it was shelved. In Canada, the Mega Drive was distributed by Irwin Toy in its early years, however Sega inevitably took back the distribution rights when the console proved successful. Many Canadian units and games were imported from the US. The Genesis 3 was also released in this region.

All North American units output an NTSC signal.

United States

Box Name Date & Price Console Hardware Software Documentation
SgenAB US Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngSgenAB US Box Front.jpg
Genesis
Genesis HD.png
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SGenS1 US Box Back.JPGNospine-small.pngSGenS1 US Box Front.JPG
Genesis
Genesis NonHD.jpg
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MD US Box Back SonicSystem.jpgNospine-small.pngSGenTSS US Box Front.JPG
Genesis Sonic System
Genesis NonHD.jpg
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SGenTCS US Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngSGenTCS US Box Front.jpg
Genesis: The Core System
Genesis NonHD.jpg
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SGenFightingSystem US Box Front.jpg
Genesis Fighting System
Genesis NonHD.jpg
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<div style="margin:auto; min-width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px"> 320x80px Genesis: The Core System
Genesis2.jpg
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<div style="margin:auto; min-width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px"> 320x80px Genesis: Sonic 2 System
Genesis2.jpg
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<div style="margin:auto; min-width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px"> 320x80px Genesis: The Core System
Genesis2.jpg
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SGen2S2 US Box Back.JPGNospine-small.pngSGen2S2 US Box Front.JPG
Genesis: Sonic 2 System
Genesis2.jpg
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Genesis: X-Men System
Genesis2.jpg
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Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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MD2 US Box Back SegaSportsSystem.jpgNospine-small.pngMD2 US Box Front SegaSportsSystem.jpg
Genesis: Sega Sports System
Genesis2.jpg
MK-1631
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Stadium Cusion
MD2 US Box Back NFLPack.jpgNospine-small.pngSGen2NFL US Box Front.JPG
Genesis NFL Pack
Genesis2.jpg
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MD2 US Box Front LionKing.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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SGen2S3ST US Box Front.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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MD2 US Box Back SaK.jpgNospine-small.pngMD2 US Box Front SaK.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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Genesis Sonic System
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Genesis: Supersonic System
Genesis2.jpg
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Genesis Homerun Pack
Genesis2.jpg
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MD2 US Box Back 6Pak Alt.jpgNospine-small.pngMD2 US Box Front 6Pak Alt.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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SGen26Pak US Box Front.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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Genesis Garfield: Caught in the Act Pack
Genesis2.jpg
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MD2 US Box Back CollegeFootballIIPack.jpgNospine-small.pngMD2 US Box Front CollegeFootballIIPack.jpg
Genesis College Football's National Championship II Pack
Genesis2.jpg
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MD2 US Box Back Vectorman.jpgNospine-small.pngMD2 US Box Front Vectorman.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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Genesis US Box Front Columns.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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SGenTCS Majesco US Box Back.jpgNospine-small.pngSGenTCS Majesco US Box Front.jpg
Genesis: The Core System
Genesis2.jpg
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Canada

Box Name Date & Price Console Hardware Software Documentation
MD CA Box Back AlteredBeast.jpgNospine-small.pngMD CA Box Front AlteredBeast.jpg
Genesis
Genesis1.jpg
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MD CA Box Back Sonic1.jpgNospine-small.pngMD CA Box Front Sonic1.jpg
Genesis
Genesis1.jpg
MK-1601-22
<div style="margin:auto; min-width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px"> 320x80pxNospine-small.png320x80px Genesis: The Core System
Genesis NonHD.jpg
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Genesis CA Box Front TCS.jpg
Genesis: The Core System
Genesis2.jpg
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MD2 CA Box Back Sonic2System.jpgNospine-small.pngMD2 CA Box Front Sonic2System.jpg
Genesis: Sonic 2 System
Genesis2.jpg
??
Genesis: The Core System
Genesis2.jpg
??
MD2 CA Box Back SonicSpinball.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
??
MD2 CA Box Back LionKing.jpgNospine-small.pngMD2 CA Box Front LionKing.jpg
Genesis
Genesis2.jpg
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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 | Third Party Controllers
Accessories 4 Way Play | Cleaning System | Control Pad Extension Cord | Genesis Speakers | Headset | HeartBeat Catalyst | Microphone | Region converter cartridges | Mega Terminal | Nomad PowerBack | RF Unit (Mega Drive 2) | SCART Cable (Mega Drive 2) | Stereo Audio Video Cable | Team Player | Video Monitor Cable | Third Party Accessories
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