The first successful 16-bit system, the Mega Drive's 14-year lifespan places it second only to the Nintendo Game Boy. With seven distinct versions, it also has the largest number of licensed versions of any console.

The Mega Drive/Genesis also supported a number of add-on components (32X, CD, Power Base Converter), making it one of the most flexible systems ever developed. The Genesis could do things that the NES simply couldn't. Sega also focused attention on its better graphics, speed, and sound, especially after the release of Sonic. These efforts were often successful, as Sega marketed the Genesis as hip, cool, and edgy. In addition to porting over popular coin-op games, Sega executives worked hard to lure developers away from Nintendo. Dubbed the Genesis, this version was developed with the American market and consumer in mind. A year later, Sega released the Mega Drive in the United States. Released in 1988, the Sega Mega Drive heralded the coming of the 16-bit era and inaugurated the Console Wars of the 1990s.

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