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[olimario]

GAME WATCH
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20040708/playtv.htm
http://www.segatoys.co.jp/

-SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
-GOLDEN AXE
-ALTERED BEAST
-FLICKY
-DR.ROBOTNIK'S MEAN BEAN MACHINE
-KID CHAMELEON

 

[AniHawk]

I saw this at E3 and was pretty surprised (since all others have been pre-16 bit era). $29.99's a nice price for the thing too.

 

[COCKLES]

Lovely design. But shit range of games. Talk about recyling. Surely a Shinobi or two and a Ristar inclusion wouldn't be too much to ask.

 

[XS+]

STILL only composite video for MD/Genesis :\ Not to say that's freakin brilliant, at a great price (better pricing than a certain other company that's peddling nostalgia, I might add).

 

[Hooker]

Dr. Robotnic's Mean Bean Machine is enough to warrant a purchase from me

No, scratch that. Only 1 player :/

 

[XS+]

Lovely design. But shit range of games.

Kid Chameleon will keep a kid busy for weeks if not more.

But yeah throwing in a Shinobi 3 or SoR2 wouldn't have hurt.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

The MD is supposed to be stereo...

 

[XS+]

The MD is supposed to be stereo...

No it's not. Name me a MD game with true 2-channel audio.

 

[levious]

so that stereo headphone jack and stereo av cables available from launch was all a gimmick?

 

[XS+]

so that stereo headphone jack and stereo av cables available from launch was all a gimmick?

Name me a MD game with true 2-channel audio.

EDIT: Even if the sound processor could do stereo, it's moot because no game that I know of ever used it (and I played a hell of a lot of MD games in my day, on an actual Genesis btw, before anyone pulls the 'emu ROMs' card)

 

[dark10x]

Err, I'm fairly certain that Sonic the Hedgehog (perhaps not 1, but the later games) had two channel audio. When you collect rings, the effect is two channel (part of the sound played through one channel and the second part through another).

 

[levious]

it was an actual question, I'm not disputing what you said. I've always thought that there was stereo sound from the begininning, especially something like Revenge of Shinobi. I'm not at home though to look at the boxes for info in stereo sound though.

 

[Shompola]

I just tried ThunderForce 3 on Mega Drive and the music is in stereo. I also think Whip Rush music was in stereo. I'll check than one out too.

 

[FortNinety]

Sorry, but itsn't this like really old news?

Well I have the Genesis 3.... neat little system.... when it decides to work properly. And even when it does, the video still looks like shit.

 

[dark10x]

Sorry, but itsn't this like really old news?

Well I have the Genesis 3.... neat little system.... when it decides to work properly. And even when it does, the video still looks like shit.

Yep. At this point, THE best way to play Genesis is to hook up a PC to your TV and enabled the high-res filters (or not, if that's what you prefer). Grab yourself a gamepad of a choice as well (DS2 for me), and you're set!

 

[Lyte Edge]

Yep. At this point, THE best way to play Genesis is to hook up a PC to your TV and enabled the high-res filters (or not, if that's what you prefer). Grab yourself a gamepad of a choice as well (DS2 for me), and you're set!

Yep. I use a modded Xbox, and it's hard to go back; my CDX and Nomad just sit there, collecting dust. I can play all the Genesis, 32X, and even (actual!) Sega CD games off my Xbox, and they all look awesome in 480p.

 

[XS+]

OK, I'm getting ahead of myself. Back in the day when I hooked up the Genesis stereo out to my headphones or receiver, the audio either sounded very distorted, or there wasn't any difference in sound at all. If that's considered stereo than it's stereo only in trivial and technical terms. It's a huge contrast from the stereo audio the SNES put out, it seemed like you were actually missing something when playing in mono.

Nothing I've ever heard from the Genesis (and I'm not talking about the quality of music either) is worth adding a red cable to this Mini MD thing. Genesis actually sounds better in mono, using the speakers from your TV.

 

[radios shipping overview]

I'll stick with my CDX, playing games in lovely crystal-clear RGB. Wake me when they make one of these with a cart slot and something other than shit composite output.

 

[dark10x]

OK, I'm getting ahead of myself. Back in the day when I hooked up the Genesis stereo out to my headphones or receiver, the audio either sounded very distorted, or there wasn't any difference in sound at all. If that's considered stereo than it's stereo only in trivial and technical terms. It's a huge contrast from the stereo audio the SNES put out, it seemed like you were actually missing something when playing in mono.

Nothing I've ever heard from the Genesis (and I'm not talking about the quality of music either) is worth adding a red cable to this Mini MD thing. Genesis actually sounds better in mono, using the speakers from your TV.

There is something wrong with your system then.

 

[XS+]

Genesis 'stereo' was poor to nonexistant. That's all there is to it.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

^^That wasn't my point.

Again, the Genesis/MD has stereo sound. Does each and every game use it? I dunno.

 

[Nikashi]

Um, Genesis had full stereo sound.

As for the Sonic example, the ring sound would alternate from speaker to speaker, left right left right for each ring, and much of the music in games was in full stereo. If you didn't get that effect, you either had a defective genny, or your headphones sucked.

 

[levious]

so by saying, Genesis had no true stereo sound, what you meant was that it was inferior to snes' sound? Way to confirm over ten years of undebated knowledge.

 

[XS+]

I see DCB's point, and my last post rings true. Whatever.

 

[dark10x]

I see DCB's point, and my last post rings true. Whatever.

No, your last post does not ring true.

 

[Shompola]

I believe the stereo separation is actually technically superior to the snes one. 6 track stereo vs 4 track stereo I believe. No need to do down mixing if you can keep the separate sounds in the 6 tracks.

 

[XS+]

Well, how about primitive to nonexistant?

 

[DaCocoBrova]

Separation maybe, but the SNES's Sony sound chip took great big donkey sh!ts on the MD/Genesis' audio.

Did the Z-80 chip handle all audio?

 

[Shompola]

But the discussion right now is about stereo and not FM synthesis vs sample play back.

"Did the Z-80 chip handle all audio?"

The YM FM synthesis derivate from yamaha took care of FM synthesis that was used in music and some effects and I believe it also has hardware sequencer.

 

[radios shipping overview]

Separation maybe, but the SNES's Sony sound chip took great big donkey sh!ts on the MD/Genesis' audio.

Horses for courses. FM synthesis is a different beast from sample modulation, and it's often better for different purposes when used properly. The SPC-700 often sounds mushy and lifeless these days in areas in which FM synth excels. The Genesis's sound system is best used as an instrument itself, while the SPC is best at simulating other instruments.

Did the Z-80 chip handle all audio?

The Z80 acted as a controller for the two audio chips: a Yamaha YM2612 FM chip and a PSG (programmable sound generator) that's just like the one in the SMS.

And yeah, the Genesis's stereo is excellent. Try playing Beyond Oasis with a nice pair of speakers or headphones. Enemy sounds pan and change volume as they move on and offscreen. The music is stereo, too (along with the music in the majority of Genesis games).

 

[FortNinety]

It's not the tools but how you use them. Some Genny soundtracks ran circles many SNES soundtracks I've heard.

 

[GigaDrive]

cute, i want one.

btw, Genesis music in SFII sce bitch slaps the SNES SFII, SFIIt music.

and the music in Genesis Sword of Vermillion simply slaughters most SNES music.

SNES had some great music though, admittedly. i like the music in Secret of Mana, FF2(j4)
and FF3(j6)

the thing is though, the Genesis was capable of AMAZINGLY good music, if its audio capabilities were used properly. sure, you had some terrible Genesis music, but that was obviously made by developers who didnt know how to use what Genesis had, properly. some of the best MD/Genesis music came in the first 2 years of its life (1988-1990)

 

[casmaksen]

streetfighter also had stereo in music and sound effects.

 

[Apharmd Battler]

I want one!! Are these going to be on sale in the US?!

 

[AniHawk]

I want one!! Are these going to be on sale in the US?!

Yes, for $29.99.

 

[Mrbob]

Can you add new gamepaks to this thing or is it all built in like the Namco and Atari joystick game thingies?

 

[radios shipping overview]

Can you add new gamepaks to this thing or is it all built in like the Namco and Atari joystick game thingies?

Nope, there's no cartridge slot, so you're stuck with what comes on it.

 

[evil ways]

-FLICKY
-DR.ROBOTNIK'S MEAN BEAN MACHINE

I'd trade those 2 games For Revenge of Shinobi and Wonder Boy in Monster World.

 

[evilromero]

I'm sick of getting the same damn games over and over. I love the look of the device but couldn't Sega have put more effort into putting some more interesting titles on the system? I don't know how many times we've gotten the whole Sonic/Altered Beast/Golden Axe thing but it's getting old.

 

[FortNinety]

btw, Genesis music in SFII sce bitch slaps the SNES SFII, SFIIt music.

This man speaks the truth!