Is it really worth having a Sega CD?

[Team Andromeda]

I was thinking recently how Sega CD is one of those things that needs to be considered WITHIN its own time-period, to really understand the appeal.

It was the time that CD-players themselves were still very rare, expensive, exciting, etc.

Spot on, when I got mine, most local shops didn't even stock music CD's the format. Like I said before I had to go to the Capital Of Wales and even then about the only music CD, I could find, was George Michael: listen without prejudice, which turned out to be a great pick up as it was such a great album.People just can't grasp how expensive new tech was back in the '80s and early '90s before the economic revolution in China.

Having a CD Player, never mind a CD gaming system in 91 was just super exciting and one felt you were in the future. The game isn't that great, but I remember showing off the intro to Sol Feace to my mates on the Mega CD and we were all floored at the perfect and crystal clear speech. It's laughable now, but when showing off Road Adv, 'one of my mates even said how is this possible, it's amazing' and that was just an FMV game.

I used to have my Mega CD set up to my old Philips Hi-Fi system and the sound was stunning and used to it a lot to play music CDs. Blasting Pantera's: Cowboys from Hell Album with lovely CDA quality music onthe Mega CD in the early '90s while getting ready to go out on a Friday and Saturday night, was ace. I wish I could have those days back



RIP Dimebag !!!

[Blades]

I've often heard that the SCD software that took advantage of the hardware the most was early Japan-developed software. Is that true? The only titles I can really think of that pushed the Sega CD (not from an FMV standpoint) were Sonic CD and Snatcher maybe.

[Team Andromeda]

I've often heard that the SCD software that took advantage of the hardware the most was early Japan-developed software. Is that true? The only titles I can really think of that pushed the Sega CD (not from an FMV standpoint) were Sonic CD and Snatcher maybe.

Not quite. Game Arts pushed the system hard all the way through and SEGA's F1 beyond the limit really asked a little too much of the system if we're talking just Japan developed games. Then you had games like PopfulMail, Final Fight, The laughing Salesman which all made use of the extra Mega CD hardware in their own way

[SegaDreamcast]

The Adventures of Willy Beamish were pretty ground breaking for their time, looked like a real cartoon. Might be difficult for someone today to get past the long load times but recommend it. A good title to understand what made the Sega CD standout in the early 90s.

[Team Andromeda]

The Adventures of Willy Beamish were pretty ground breaking for their time, looked like a real cartoon. Might be difficult for someone today to get past the long load times but recommend it. A good title to understand what made the Sega CD standout in the early 90s.

Agreed, its a great game and looks and sounds stunning on the Sega CD. I liked Rise of the Dragon more and thats another great PC port, I think its a better game than Snatcher myself

[PreZZ]

Is it worht buying a sega cd? Absolutely. Bitd, people expected a next gen experience from it and were deceived with games looking like regular genesis games (and bad fmv games!). Its definitely got a nice library imo, the ratio of crap games is about the same as snes and genesis, people see snes library with rose tinted glasses like they were all good, but it had tons of crap!!! If you play the gems like Snatcher, Android Assault, NHL, Robo Aleste,Lunar, etc and even a couple of fmv are fun for a quick playthrough! I really like the sega cd, i own model 1, cdx, and xeye, and they all still work, never done a recap or laser replacement! A raspberry pi or playstation classic is a very cheap way to enjoy the library, the emulation is excellent and even better with blast 16! Save states are also very useful, and load quicker