I purchased a Sega Mega Drive, known as a Genesis in North America, at a car boot sale (the UK equivalent of a yard sale) around a year ago. I want to enjoy some retro gaming, since I am a massive fan of Sonic The Hedgehog and you can't beat the cooperative fun of games such as Streets of Rage or Golden Axe. Does anyone here have a little bit of knowledge on retro gaming or the Mega Drive/Genesis from when they used to own one?

• Which model is the best version of the Mega Drive? I don't believe that the PAL region got Model 3, but we got both the second and first model. I've read some conflicting information, such as the Model 2 being better through a SCART cable, but not delivering stereo sound. The Model 1 has stereo sound support, meanwhile, but is quite chunky when combined with the Sega CD, which I am considering purchasing at a later date to enjoy Sonic CD.
• Did the Sega 32X, an attachment for the Genesis, ever release in the PAL region for the Mega Drive? Does it upscale existing Genesis/Mega Drive games at all? Will it help them look nicer on a large HD screen? If not, are there any enjoyable games that make it perhaps worth tracking one down for? Speaking of both attachments, did the Sega CD also get any good games, beyond the already mentioned Sonic CD?
• Is there a conversion kit, modified console or way of improving the output of a Genesis/Mega Drive to run it smoother on a large HD plasma screen? I remember reading about HD adapters/kits for retro consoles.
• What controller was best for the Sega Mega Drive? I currently have four 3-button controllers, two from a Model 1 Mega Drive and two from a Model 2 Mega Drive. I use the Model 2 controllers currently, because they have a longer cable. Are there any better controllers, such as those from a third party? Do any games use a 6-button layout and should I invest in one? I remember reading about IR wireless controllers too. Were they ever any good? Looking online, they seem quite expensive.
• Finally, any game suggestions for classics that I simply must play? I'll post a list later of games I already own for it, so that the same games do not get suggested twice, but beyond the first two Sonic games, Cool Spot, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and a few other loose titles, I don't have much. I think I only have around twenty games at the moment, some of which are simply awful and I probably won't keep.

EDIT 1:

Edit 2: Does anyone know of a Genesis/Mega Drive cartridge storage unit? Like, you can buy wallets that let you store CD/DVD discs from more recent games consoles, but do similar things exist for cartridges? Some of my games don't have cases, so I hate leaving them on the side to collect dust when not in use.

Mortal Kombat 1 & 2 wore out a bunch of controllers for me.

1: I've always heard this version's the best----> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Sega-Genesis-Mod1-Set.jpg

2: Not sure never owned a 32x but I did own a Sega cd---worked with the unit I had so I guess it should work for the mega drive.

3: I don't think so.

4: The 3 button controller usually works great for most of the Genesis/Mega Drive games, use a six button only if you have fighting games.

5: Sonic, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, Valis, Syd of Valis and Valis 3 are also good.

I actually have a combat of Mortal Kombat 2, but have yet to play it. The Genesis had some great cooperative or multiplayer games, before the days of online ruling the roost, and it's one of the reasons I want to keep it and my Wii too. Most Xbox 360 games have online only multiplayer, but I much prefer local multiplayer. There was nothing more enjoyable than playing racing games, fighting games, and so forth, with your friends.

Starflight

El Viento

Star Control

Zero Tolerance

Road Rash

Traysia

Rings of Power

There is an http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/for Sega i think it is http://segaage.com/forum/

use Nintendo age as there are more people on there

I'll answer what I can.

2). Yes, there was a PAL version of the 32X, though I have no idea how easy it is to find. There are some games it will improve the looks of ever so slightly, but it's not going to upscale them to the point where they'll look good on an HD screen. There was no such thing as HD back when it was released, rememvber. I don't know if it's really worth getting, though. I never had one, and it didn't really live long enough to build up an extensive library. Just 40 games.

5). Some good Genesis games that you didn't list include:

Ecco the Dolphin

Ecco the Dolphin: The Tides of Time

Sonic 3

Sonic and Knuckles

Pirates! Gold

King of the Monsters 2

Strider

Shadowrun

Vectorman

Earthworm Jim

I currently have Sonic 1 and Sonic 2, but I also want to get Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles too. There was Sonic 3D Blast, but I never really remember enjoying that when playing it as part of Sonic Gems Collection, so might give it a miss. Does the Sega CD have any good games, besides Sonic CD? Did it release for the PAL version of the Genesis/Mega Drive? I presume it would work anyway, since it isn't a region locked console. Genesis games, even though the cartridges are actually taller it seems, still connect and play perfectly.

EDIT: The Genesis did have an arbitrary method of region locking, which basically just had the console check the language settings and base it from that. So long as the cartridge isn't different, as with the Japanese version I believe, it will work region free. This explains why I have Genesis games that work in my Mega Drive. However, looking online, it seems as though the Sega CD was region locked. It also appears that the CD unit will only work with consoles from matching countries. So, for example, a Sega CD imported from America won't work on my PAL Mega Drive in the UK. Is this correct?

I already own the original Ecco The Dolphin. That game is a masterpiece, in my opinion. The art style remains gorgeous to this day, or so I think.

Only video output mods I know of are on NES/SNES

HDMI nes.

Nintendo Age, if the name is anything to go by, is for Nintendo consoles - no?

The NES was a great console, but unfortunately Mario and the older Zelda titles never appealed to me. My interest in Nintendo as a game maker only exists from the N64 onward, once they began to make Super Smash Bros, Wave Race and later Animal Crossing. Also, in the UK at least, finding old Mega Drive games is much, much, much easier than finding any NES or SNES games.

Nah you can pretty much post anything there as people don't really know how to put topics in their proper subforum

Try their Help forum

The quick and easy but expensive way to get a old console on a newer tv is to get a upscaler and scanline generator...

I think something like anhttp://www.solarisjapan.com/xrgb-mini-framemeister-compact-up-scaler-unit/?setCurrencyId=3

The Sega Cd had some good games on it just not many. Here's a list of Sega CD games----> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sega_CD_games#S I can't really tell you which are good and which are bad I only had one CD at the time. But you might want to invest in some cult classics like:

Snatcher.

Night Trap.

Ground Zero Texas.

The Terminator (It has awesome music).

Wing Commander.

Lunar Silver Star Story.

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue.

The Sega CD while a nice innovation never really had any dynamite titles for it except for a *few*. It's a clunky add-on to say the least regardless of what model, but as for stability I'm sure some models handle better than others. Which ones, I'm not sure but probably the later ones.

Some games do use the 6-button layout, and I would say the ones that do have a more in depth menu system and such, but pretty much any game that came out late in the lifecycle would use the 6-button pad if available, but almost every game (I say almost because I can't guarantee all) can be played with the 3 button layout.

As for games?

World of Illusion staring Mickey Mouse

Road Rash 3

Castlevania Bloodlines

Shinobi III (I loved the Shinobi series, the original on Sega Master System is still my all time favorite though)

Phantasy Star II, III, and IV. (again, the original was on Sega Master System...the RPG that really set the tone for all to follow, better than the original Final Fantasy)

There is another RPG that I loved but I can't remember for the life of me. All I remember was that it had different races and classes, there was a general overworld with portals to various levels. Each portal when looking down upon it was something like 6 or 8 lights all the same color, but each one was a different color...damn it if anyone can point in that direction, I would love to play that game again. It was multiplayer too.

EDIT:

Oh another fun game:

The Adventures of Willy Beamish (don't use the red chalk)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIh4pwAjPYg is great Co-op or versus.

Definitely pick up Sonic 3 & Knuckles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xafKkNAcBs is another beat em up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNGbAStPXZc

If you don't have it for SNES, grab http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvXX4J_b7Ek

The Strike series, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hskEwS2LeiY and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNnvhs49G84 strike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua-j4yTRofA was fun in MP(Don't play SP though the AI is ridiculous)

Mortal Kombat II was fun on Genesis too.

Too bad Snatcher goes for $249...

Yes, i've had a PAL 32X back in the early 90s.... also, there's a"Sonic" game on that too called Chaotix.

Thanks for the suggestions. Road Rash is a game I enjoyed on the Gameboy, so I'll definitely look for that. Phantasy Star is a great game, but it's expensive. They sell on Ebay for up to ￡100.

Yes. Knuckles Chaotix is the game. I heard of it. I may chase down a Sega CD, but a 32X may just prove a hassle. I'm not a collector, just want to experience and enjoy old games as they were meant to be played. You can purchase cartridge readers for emulators on the PC to read off of and they even have a slot for an official controller to plug into, but I still think there's a certain charm to playing it on the original console. Emulators aren't always perfect, either.

Does anyone know of a Genesis/Mega Drive cartridge storage unit? Like, you can buy wallets that let you store CD/DVD discs from more recent games consoles, but do similar things exist for cartridges? Some of my games don't have cases, so I hate leaving them on the side to collect dust when not in use.

32X & Sega CD are both not worth it.... yes, i played Sonic CD and ii also bought a 32X only for Chaotix (also had Doom) but that was back then.

Better look for games for your Megadrive.... more fun.

I actually agree. There are still five great Sonic games alone on the Mega Drive, as well as Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and many great others.

SNES>Mega Drive, without a second thought. I own a huge collection of games for both, used to collect them in my early teens though it's kinda worthless when you have emulators.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASmC5Odz4x8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ_TD948kT0

Do emulators really compare though? You don't even have the original controller or support for multiplayer, or so I remember from the last time I tried emulation. I know you first need to buy one of those cartridge readers, or to emulate legally at least.

EDIT: Is the Retrode any good? Anyone here heard of it?