Sega CD/Mega CD

Background: CD-ROM technology had been starting to get popular with computers in the early 90s, and NEC was a pioneer in using CDs for video games on a console (in place of the still-popular cartridge) with its Super CD-ROM add-on for the PC Engine in Japan (also known as TurboGrafx-16 in America, CD unit just called TurboGrafx-CD). For rivalry in 1991, Sega created a CD-ROM based add-on for the Mega Drive/Genesis, called the Mega CD (or Sega CD in America), and although it sold well at launch, it wouldn't last for very long (only about five years worldwide), though there are some classics like Sonic CD, Snatcher, Adventures of Willy Beamish, and so on. 6,000,000 units were sold worldwide, and 220 games were released for the add-on. Some games on Sega/Mega CD also required the use of another Genesis add-on, the 32X (which wasn't as successful as the Sega CD, it had only 34 games released for it, and only 200,000 were sold worldwide), with games dubbed CD-32X, and only five of those games came out before Sega gave up on trying to save the Genesis' life in favor of a true hybrid of the Sega CD and 32X-- the Saturn, in 1994.

===1st Logo (1992-1994) (MK1, North American/PAL Version)=== Note: This sequence only appeared on MK1 Mega CD/Sega CD consoles.

Logo: On a background of space with Earth in the corner of the screen (The Mega CD version appears brighter than the Sega CD version), the Sega logo and either the Sega CD logo (a blue  rectangle with the animated rainbow-colored text "SEGA CD" with "CD" arranged to look like a compact disc) or the Mega CD logo ("MEGA-CD" in a swirly green /silver futuristic font, whose colors also animate) appear and animate in various ways for several minutes. The top right corner of the screen contains a copyright date, reading "(C) (year) SEGA Ver. 1.xx". Below that is "Press RESET to open the CD tray". If a disc is placed inside the system, the text will say "Press the START BUTTON". until you press the start button on the Mega Drive/Genesis controller.

FX/SFX: The Sega and the Sega CD/Mega CD Logo and the stars shining.

Music/Sounds: The Sega CD has a synth disco tune, while the Mega CD has a more dreamy synth tune.

Availability: Appears on all North American and PAL Mega/Sega CD MK1 (front-loading) add-ons.

Scare Factor: None.

===2nd Logo (1991-1993) (MK1, Japanese Version)=== Logo: On a cloudy sky background, we see a black square with the word "MEGA" on the top left (in white), while below that, we see "C" in a baby blue oval, and "D" in a tan oval, separated by four black streaks. As in the previous logo, the Sega logo is also seen, but always in the bottom-right corner, and does not animate while "Mega CD" does, for about the same length as the previous logo. The copyright date is shown in its usual place, a small Sega logo is in the bottom right corner, and below that is some Japanese text, which probably denotes the same information in the 1st logo.

FX/SFX: The Mega CD logo. The animations are different from the last logos.

Music/Sounds: The European Mega CD's dreamy synth tune.

Availability: Appears on all Japanese MK1 Mega CD add-ons.

Scare Factor: None.

===3rd Logo (1993-1994) (MK2, PAL Version)=== Logo: On a thistle -colored background with a dark mirror on the bottom, and containing three silver spheres, a silver cone, and a gold  CD, we see the Mega CD logo from before, and what also has the Sega logo on the bottom left. As in the previous two logos, they animate all over. The same copyright info (except for it using "Ver. 2.xx") is shown in its usual place, and "CHECKING DISC", in a different font, appears below for a few seconds, which is replaced by "NO DISC", "CLOSE THE CD DOOR", or "PRESS THE START BUTTON" (if a game is inserted with the door closed).

FX/SFX: Once again, the Sega logo and the Mega CD logo. Once again, The animations are different.

Music/Sounds: Again, the dreamy synth tune.

Availability: Appears on all PAL MK2 (top-loading) Mega CD add-ons. Also appears on all Sega Multi-Mega (a Sega Mega Drive and a Mega CD in one console) systems.

Scare Factor: None.

===4th Logo (1993-1994) (MK2, Japanese Version)===

Logo: The same background from the 3rd logo is used, but the CD is replaced with an image of Sonic in his trademark "finger wagging" pose and the word "SEGA SONIC" below him. The Mega CD logo consists of a metal slab with the Mega CD logo from the PAL version in black with a large black "2" behind it. The Sega logo is shown below like in the third logo, only smaller. The same copyright info is shown at the top right, and the same Japanese info from the 1st logo is shown below. The Mega CD 2 and Sega logos flip and zoom around.

FX/SFX: The same as the last logo.

Music/Sounds: The dreamy synth tune once again.

Availability: Appears on all Japanese MK2 Mega CD add-ons.

Scare Factor: None.

===5th Logo (1993-1994) (MK2, North American Version===

Logo: The same background from the 1st logo is used, except the animations from the 3rd and 4th logos are used and different music. The same messages from the PAL MK2 Mega CD version appear below, as well.

FX/SFX: The same as the last logo.

Music/Sounds: A rather funky synth disco tune.

Availability: Appears on all North American MK2 Sega CD add-ons. Also appears on all Sega CDX (same as the Sega Multi Mega) systems.

Scare Factor: None. ______________________________________________________________________________

(1991-1994)
Note: The Wondermega is an all-in-one Megadrive/Genesis and Mega CD/Sega CD developed by Victor/JVC. The system is called the X'Eye in North America. This system was never released in PAL territory.

Logo: Against a blue /black gradient background, the top of a large Earth-like globe with a hole in the center is shown below, which glows several different colors. "WONDERMEGA" is shown below in white futuristic letters for the Jap. version, and "JVC" (in its corporate font) "X'EYE" (in a similar futuristic font) is shown below in the North American version. A large purple/black/white "W" or "X" is shown animating as usual. The copyright notice on the Model 1 is the same as before in the Japanese version, but the Model 2 also includes a Victor copyright and is version 2.00 instead of 1.00. The North American copyright notice credits JVC rather than Victor. Some Japanese text is shown below (possibly the same as before), but "Put a Disc on the turn table" is shown below in the N. American version.

FX/SFX: The W/X animating with some of the animations from the 2nd Mega CD logo. Some of the animations are excluded from the X'Eye version, and instead the X remains still until the next animation.

Cheesy Factor: The echo effect applied to the music.

Music/Sounds: Same as the Mega CD music, but with more of an "echo" applied to it.

Availability: Can be seen on Wondermega/X'Eye consoles, which are pretty hard to find.

Scare Factor: None.