Sega Megadrive

The Mega Drive Model 1 and Model 2 look nearly identical but are not audio-equivalent: the Model 1 has a front headphone jack with volume wheel, and its YM2612 sound chip has a slightly warmer character on certain channels compared to the Model 2. Model 1 purists discuss this the way audiophiles discuss turntables. The VA0 revision of the Model 1 — identifiable by production number and the absence of certain hardware fixes — is the most sought-after unit of all. The 6-button controller introduced in 1993 for Street Fighter II was incompatible with some older games that misread its inputs. Pier Solar (2010), a homebrew RPG published on cartridge as if it were 1994, is one of the most remarkable pieces in the platform's entire history.