Summary
During the 1990s, there was a vicious console war raging on in the video game industry between Nintendo and Sega. While Nintendo was creating classics on the NES and SNES likeSuper Mario Bros.andSuper Metroid, Sega was competing with better graphics, processing power, and an overall video game library that rivaled Nintendo’s output.
Sadly, by the end of the ’90s, Sega faded away from the video game console market, leaving space for Microsoft and Sony to enter the competition with Nintendo. Although Sega has continued on creating video games, their console-making days are long over. Out of all the consoles Sega released outside of Japan during their reign, this is the definitive ranking.
7Pico
The Sega Pico is an often-forgotten moment in the history of the video game manufacturer, released in 1993 in Japan. The laptop-esque device was marketed towards children as a form of “edutainment,” featuring games that incorporated the use of a stylus or the keyboard keys. As one would expect, the software for the Sega Pico is quite limited.
The Sega Pico included two games featuring Sonic the Hedgehog,Sonic the Hedgehog’s Gameworld, as well asTails and the Music Maker. While the latter was a fun tool to teach children about creating music, the former simply takes Sonic gameplay and puts it into a picture book to teach kids about problem-solving, lacking the fun of a typicalSonictitle.
6SG-1000
Sega’s first foray into producing video game consoles was the SG-1000, which was released in Japan in 1983, the same year that Nintendo released the Famicom. Like the Famicom,later known as the Nintendo Entertainment System, the SG-1000 was capable of running 8-bit graphics, though it wasn’t enough to impress video game audiences at home.
Unlike Nintendo, many attribute the failure of the SG-1000 to Sega’s failure to adapt arcade-style games to a console market. This included ports of arcade classics likeElevator Action,Q*bert, andSpace Invaders, though they all paled in comparison to other iterations. Overall, the SG-1000 was an important step for Sega but has remained unmemorable.
5Saturn
Released during Sega’s heyday as a video game console manufacturer, the Sega Saturn was widely considered a massive failure from the company at the time. Although it sold well in Japan, it lacked appeal in worldwide markets, mainly due to the cancellation of theSonic X-treme, which would’ve adapted Sega’s mascot into 3D.
Instead, the Sega Saturn is nowadays onlyremembered for only a few memorable titleslikeVirtua FighterandNights into Dreams. Furthermore, it failed to stack up against market competitors like the Nintendo 64 and Sony’s PlayStation; add to that a limited library of third-party games, and the Sega Saturn remains a terrible blot on the company’s storied history.
4Game Gear
After Nintendo’s success with the Game Boy in 1989, Sega released its own handheld console, the Game Gear, in 1990. In competition with Nintendo’s monocolor system, the Sega Game Gear had the benefit of a full-color backlit screen. The Game Gear was successful enough to dethrone other handheld consoles, but not Nintendo’s GameBoy.
Although the console’s power was far superior to its handheld competitors at the time, the console itself lacked the strength of the GameBoy’s library. Itsuccessfully transported the originalSonic the Hedgehogtitlein 1991, as well asStreets of Rage 2andMega Man. Many fans had fun with the system, but it lacked the staying power of the original GameBoy.
3Master System
Sega’s follow-up to the SG-1000 was the Sega Master System, which was released in 1985, the same year the NES made its debut in North America. The console was built off the specifications ofthe Mark III model of the SG-1000, also featuring 8-bit graphics. Like the NES, the Master System also included accessories like a light gun for shooter games.
Sega also had many successful games in the Master System’s library, includingPhantasy Star,Double Dragon, andAlex Kidd in the Miracle World, the latter of which was Sega’s first attempt to compete withSuper Mario Bros.Sadly, the Sega Master System wasn’t as much of a hit as Sega’s later console releases in the 1980s.
2Dreamcast
Sega’s last home console release was the Sega Dreamcast, which was released in Japan in 1998 and worldwide in 1999. Although it was discontinued in 2001, the console is oft-regarded as an underrated gem in the lineup of 1990s video game consoles. Sadly, it was no match for competitors like Sony’s PlayStation 2, and its lineup of games was later ported elsewhere.
However, many iconic video games got their start on the Sega Dreamcast, such as first-party titles likeSonic Adventure,Crazy Taxi, andJet Set Radio. The Dreamcast nowadays is beloved by video game fans forits library of cult classics and revolutionary games, even if it wasn’t much of a commercial success for the company at the time of its release.
1Genesis
The Sega Genesis was easily Sega’s longest-lasting and best console they released, making them a fierce competitor for Nintendo during the late ’80s and early ’90s. The original console bested the NES by introducing 16-bit graphics, later including add-ons like the Sega CD and the Sega 32-X, which allowed the same console to have an even stronger line-up.
The Sega Genesis also introduced Sonic the Hedgehog to Sega’s library of games, whobecame comfortably their most iconic original character. Sega Genesis also included popular games likeDisney’s Aladdin,Street Fighter II: Champion’s Edition, andEcco the Dolphin. Overall, it was Sega’s strongest console and still has lots of merit even to this day.
More:Sega Genesis Games Turning 30 In 2023 (That You Should Replay)
