The History of the SEGA Genesis

By Graham DeBow 

April 7, 2021

Has a video game ever taken over your life? The Sega Genesis was a first-of-its-kind video game console released on August 14, 1989, and it took the world by storm. ¹ . The Genesis helped Sega reach its peak by selling over 30 million consoles in 1993 ^2. The console stood out over popular competitors like Nintendo because the console featured new technology, the ability to play 16-bit games. ³ . If a console is 16-bit, it refers to the processor in the console. Since the Genesis was the first 16-bit console, users were attracted to play games with higher graphics and quality as well as better sound since the console can use more data than the previous 8-bit consoles ⁴. The console became known for games like “Sonic the Hedgehog,” A few years after the console’s release, the popular franchise Mortal Kombat released its first game, and fans began flocking in for the Sega Genesis ⁵ . While the Genesis console does not have anywhere near the same technology as consoles today, many people still prefer the older games over the new ones. Since there was a generation of young people who played the Genesis for hours on end, now that it has been over thirty years since the release, nostalgia plays a significant factor in how people see the console today. For some people, the Sega Genesis is just an outdated piece of technology, but for others, it gives them a chance to go back to their childhood and take a break from the hi-tech games that are out today.