Emulation General Wiki - User contributions [en]

User:Sasha

2026-09-03T02:59:26Z

Sasha: Created page with "https://github.com/SN902"

https://github.com/SN902

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-09-03T01:28:23Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The [[gametech:Sega_Genesis|'''Sega Genesis''']] ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by Sega in Japan on October 29, 1988, and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the Sega CD (alternatively Mega CD) and the 32X (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The Sega CD was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The Sega 32X was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

; Remember, certain titles for Sega/Mega CD, 32X, and CD + 32X games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

== Comparison ==
{{Emulator comparison introduction|[[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware features and peripherals|hardware features & peripherals]], and [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]]}}

=== Standalone emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware variants|Hardware variants]] section for more info.</ref>
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] 
[https://github.com/notaz/picodrive/releases 1.93] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive/releases {{PicoDriveVer}} (irixxxx's fork)]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]

[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[GENS]]
[http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7] (Gens/GS)
[https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git] (Gens/GS II)

[http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b]
[https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960]
[https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}]
[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}]
[https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($)
[https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}]

[https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}]
[https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS|tvOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}]
[https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Switch}}||{{Ya}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]]
(Gigadrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|3DS}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git]

[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}]

[https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3]

[https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
| align="left" |{{Icon|NDS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Wii}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox360}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note" />
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|}

=== Multi-system emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts]
[https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Emulator compatibility|1892|1923|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis {{jgenesisVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]]
(Genesis Plus GX, PicoDrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds]
[http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼)
byuu (謬/view)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="note">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable]
[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds]

[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|}

=== Comparisons ===

; [[BlastEm]]
: Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
; [[Genesis Plus GX]]
: A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[Sega Genesis emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438] (YM2612). The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:; [https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:; [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

; [[higan]]/[[ares]]
: Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

; [[PicoDrive]]
: Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

; [[BizHawk]]
: "Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

; [[Kega Fusion]]
: The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

; [[Exodus]]
: Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

; [http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
: A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

; [[MAME]]
: [[MAME compatibility list#Sega Genesis.2FMega Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

; [[mednafen]]
: Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
: Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

; [[GENS]]
: Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

; [[Nuked-MD]]
: Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

; [[ClownMDEmu]]
: Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)

* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

=== Sound emulation ===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.

* ymfm - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* Nuked - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.

There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

== Enhancements ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input lag|Input lag mitigating]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Graphics
|{{Enhancements/Graphics/Remove sprite limit|1=[https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture packs#Sprite Replacement (2D)|Sprite replacement]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen hacks#Sega Genesis|Widescreen hack]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60 FPS cheat codes|Internal frame rate hack]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega Genesis|Overclock]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High dynamic range#Inverse tone mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|cheat manager]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment.
Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods, hacks and fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|patch manager]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Portable and stealth}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save disk space for ISOs|Streamable compression format]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/TAS features/Frame step}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Macros/Scripts/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="8" |Misc.
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Ambient sounds simulation}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Audio filters and presets}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|Debug features||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual reality#VR game room simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega Drive .26 Peripherals|Netplay]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Rich Presence}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Screen translator}}
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}

== Hardware features and peripherals ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="3" |Hardware features
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Blast_processing Blast processing]<ref group="note">While it was originally a fictional 1993 Sega marketing gimmick slogan for general CPU/DMA speed, it later became slang among homebrew coders for "Direct Color DMA", a low-level trick of updating CRAM/video data mid-scanline. In this mode, the Genesis' CPU can enter that changes the colour pallette every time the CRT gun is fired, removing the usual constraints on the number of available colours per frame. No retail games used it because the developers could never get timings right back then, only several homebrew titles take advantage of this feature.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |On-cartridge save batteries||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Soft reset<ref group="note">This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="53" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |Console add-ons
| colspan="2" |32X||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="note">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD 32X]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="17" |Controllers
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/6_Button_Arcade_Pad 6 Button Arcade Pad]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Keyboard
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]]<ref group="note">Known in Brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Master System control pad||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Mouse]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst]<ref group="note">Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game ''Outback Joey'', both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#Sega Meganet (Genesis)|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Multitap
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |J-Cart||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun]<ref group="note">While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart]<ref group="note">Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2]<ref group="note">Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter]<ref group="note">System Converter in Europe.</ref>||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#XBAND Modem (Multi Platform)|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="14" |Unlicensed/unreleased
| colspan="2" |Action Replay||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="12" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |Cartridge hot swapping<ref group="note">It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting]<ref group="note">Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.</ref><ref name="Tilt">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor] (RTCV) tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper Datenmeister||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Super Street Fighter II'' mapper and its derivatives<ref group="note">The original mapper enables custom bank-switching logic and used only in the eponymous game; Sonic 2 Delta romhack mapper additionally enables SRAM battery saves; Krikzz's extended SSF2 Mapper which allows for up to 16MB ROMs on the Mega Everdrive Pro and additionally allows you to change the first bank in memory. Such derivatives are used in post-market games like ''Demons of Asteborg'', ''Astebros'', ''Earthion''.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Extended VRAM|Extended VRAM]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Mega Drive.2FGenesis Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Switch between different hardware revisions
| colspan="2" |Switch between audio chips YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438<ref group="note">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this] and [https://consolemods.org/wiki/Genesis:Audio_Output_Comparison this].</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Switch between Genesis models and motherboard revisions||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Supports all 3 Genesis models and their motherboard revisions.</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |2 Team Player multitaps<ref group="note">''Double Dribble: The Playoff Season'' and ''Egawa Suguru's Super League CD'' support up to 8 players with 2 Sega's Team Player multitaps. EA's 4 Way Play multitap takes 2 controller ports at once to connect unlike the Sega multitap, so using 2 of them is impossible.</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}

=== Lock-on ===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The [https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack] also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):

* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

=== MIDI Keyboard ===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with MPTS as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the CD-MIDI standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

: [https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

=== Modes ===

==== Extended VRAM ====
[https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368 A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.]

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

==== Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD ====
The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection''.

== Hardware variants ==
{| {{Basic table}}
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
!FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Arcade|Arcade]]
|Mega Play||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Mega-Tech||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|System C-2||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Firecore|Firecore]]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Pico
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Pico|Pico]]||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Teradrive|Teradrive]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Na}}
|}

=== [https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore] ===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

* Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
* There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

=== [https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive] ===
A hybrid of a DOS/V-powered PC and Mega Drive, with both parts capable of interfacing with each other. A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all. No emulators support it all, emulating it, if attempted, will be a non-trivial task as it would require a [[multi-emulator]] with synchronous emulation of both hardware sides and their connection to each other.

=== Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad ===
Placeholder Text

=== [[Sega Pico]] ===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.

: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

: See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== [[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]] ===

: [https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]

[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

: See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1) ===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

=== Arcade ===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:

* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

== Notes ==
{{Notelist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]

{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]
{{#seo:|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-08-22T20:07:41Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The [[gametech:Sega_Genesis|'''Sega Genesis''']] ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by Sega in Japan on October 29, 1988, and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the Sega CD (alternatively Mega CD) and the 32X (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The Sega CD was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The Sega 32X was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

; Remember, certain titles for Sega/Mega CD, 32X, and CD + 32X games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

== Comparison ==
{{Emulator comparison introduction|[[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware features and peripherals|hardware features & peripherals]], and [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]]}}

=== Standalone emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware variants|Hardware variants]] section for more info.</ref>
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] 
[https://github.com/notaz/picodrive/releases 1.93] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive/releases {{PicoDriveVer}} (irixxxx's fork)]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]

[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[GENS]]
[http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7] (Gens/GS)
[https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git] (Gens/GS II)

[http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b]
[https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960]
[https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}]
[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}]
[https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($)
[https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}]

[https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}]
[https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS|tvOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}]
[https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Switch}}||{{Ya}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]]
(Gigadrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|3DS}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git]

[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}]

[https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3]

[https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
| align="left" |{{Icon|NDS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Wii}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox360}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note" />
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|}

=== Multi-system emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts]
[https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Emulator compatibility|1892|1923|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis {{jgenesisVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]]
(Genesis Plus GX, PicoDrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds]
[http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼)
byuu (謬/view)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="note">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable]
[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds]

[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|}

=== Comparisons ===

; [[BlastEm]]
: Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
; [[Genesis Plus GX]]
: A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[Sega Genesis emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438] (YM2612). The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:; [https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:; [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

; [[higan]]/[[ares]]
: Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

; [[PicoDrive]]
: Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

; [[BizHawk]]
: "Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

; [[Kega Fusion]]
: The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

; [[Exodus]]
: Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

; [http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
: A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

; [[MAME]]
: [[MAME compatibility list#Sega Genesis.2FMega Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

; [[mednafen]]
: Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
: Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

; [[GENS]]
: Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

; [[Nuked-MD]]
: Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

; [[ClownMDEmu]]
: Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)

* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

=== Sound emulation ===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.

* ymfm - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* Nuked - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.

There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

== Enhancements ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input lag|Input lag mitigating]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Graphics
|{{Enhancements/Graphics/Remove sprite limit|1=[https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture packs#Sprite Replacement (2D)|Sprite replacement]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen hacks#Sega Genesis|Widescreen hack]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60 FPS cheat codes|Internal frame rate hack]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega Genesis|Overclock]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High dynamic range#Inverse tone mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|cheat manager]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment.
Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods, hacks and fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|patch manager]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Portable and stealth}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save disk space for ISOs|Streamable compression format]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/TAS features/Frame step}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Macros/Scripts/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="8" |Misc.
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Ambient sounds simulation}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Audio filters and presets}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|Debug features||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual reality#VR game room simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega Drive .26 Peripherals|Netplay]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Rich Presence}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Screen translator}}
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}

== Hardware features and peripherals ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="3" |Hardware features
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Blast_processing Blast processing]<ref group="note">While it was originally a fictional 1993 Sega marketing gimmick slogan for general CPU/DMA speed, it later became slang among homebrew coders for "Direct Color DMA", a low-level trick of updating CRAM/video data mid-scanline. In this mode, the Genesis' CPU can enter that changes the colour pallette every time the CRT gun is fired, removing the usual constraints on the number of available colours per frame. No retail games used it because the developers could never get timings right back then, only several homebrew titles take advantage of this feature.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |On-cartridge save batteries||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Soft reset<ref group="note">This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="53" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |Console add-ons
| colspan="2" |32X||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="note">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD 32X]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="17" |Controllers
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/6_Button_Arcade_Pad 6 Button Arcade Pad]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Keyboard
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]]<ref group="note">Known in Brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Master System control pad||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Mouse]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst]<ref group="note">Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game ''Outback Joey'', both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#Sega Meganet (Genesis)|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Multitap
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |J-Cart||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun]<ref group="note">While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart]<ref group="note">Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2]<ref group="note">Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter]<ref group="note">System Converter in Europe.</ref>||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#XBAND Modem (Multi Platform)|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="14" |Unlicensed/unreleased
| colspan="2" |Action Replay||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="11" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |Cartridge hot swapping<ref group="note">It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting]<ref group="note">Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.</ref><ref name="Tilt">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor] (RTCV) tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |Derivatives of Sega's ''Super Street Fighter II'' mapper<ref group="note">The original mapper enables custom bank-switching logic and used only in the eponymous game; Sonic 2 Delta romhack mapper additionally enables SRAM battery saves; Krikzz's extended SSF2 Mapper which allows for up to 16MB ROMs on the Mega Everdrive Pro and additionally allows you to change the first bank in memory. Such derivatives are used in post-market games like ''Demons of Asteborg'', ''Astebros'', ''Earthion''.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper Datenmeister||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Extended VRAM|Extended VRAM]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Mega Drive.2FGenesis Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Switch between different hardware revisions
| colspan="2" |Switch between audio chips YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438<ref group="note">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this] and [https://consolemods.org/wiki/Genesis:Audio_Output_Comparison this].</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Switch between Genesis models and motherboard revisions||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Supports all 3 Genesis models and their motherboard revisions.</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}

=== Lock-on ===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The [https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack] also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):

* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

=== MIDI Keyboard ===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with MPTS as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the CD-MIDI standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

: [https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

=== Modes ===

==== Extended VRAM ====
[https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368 A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.]

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

==== Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD ====
The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection''.

== Hardware variants ==
{| {{Basic table}}
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
!FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Arcade|Arcade]]
|Mega Play||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Mega-Tech||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|System C-2||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Firecore|Firecore]]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Pico
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Pico|Pico]]||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#TeraDrive|TeraDrive]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Na}}
|}

=== [https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore] ===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

* Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
* There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

=== [https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive] ===
A hybrid of a DOS/V-powered PC and Mega Drive, with both parts capable of interfacing with each other. A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all. No emulators support it all, emulating it, if attempted, will be a non-trivial task as it would require a [[multi-emulator]] with synchronous emulation of both hardware sides and their connection to each other.

=== Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad ===
Placeholder Text

=== [[Sega Pico]] ===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.

: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

: See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== [[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]] ===

: [https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]

[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

: See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1) ===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

=== Arcade ===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:

* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

== Notes ==
{{Notelist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]

{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]
{{#seo:|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-08-22T20:01:25Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The [[gametech:Sega_Genesis|'''Sega Genesis''']] ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by Sega in Japan on October 29, 1988, and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the Sega CD (alternatively Mega CD) and the 32X (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The Sega CD was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The Sega 32X was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

; Remember, certain titles for Sega/Mega CD, 32X, and CD + 32X games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

== Comparison ==
{{Emulator comparison introduction|[[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware features and peripherals|hardware features & peripherals]], and [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]]}}

=== Standalone emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware variants|Hardware variants]] section for more info.</ref>
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] 
[https://github.com/notaz/picodrive/releases 1.93] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive/releases {{PicoDriveVer}} (irixxxx's fork)]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]

[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[GENS]]
[http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7] (Gens/GS)
[https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git] (Gens/GS II)

[http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b]
[https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960]
[https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}]
[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}]
[https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($)
[https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}]

[https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}]
[https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS|tvOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}]
[https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Switch}}||{{Ya}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]]
(Gigadrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|3DS}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git]

[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}]

[https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3]

[https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
| align="left" |{{Icon|NDS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Wii}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox360}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note" />
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|}

=== Multi-system emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts]
[https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Emulator compatibility|1892|1923|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis {{jgenesisVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]]
(Genesis Plus GX, PicoDrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds]
[http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼)
byuu (謬/view)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="note">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable]
[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds]

[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|}

=== Comparisons ===

; [[BlastEm]]
: Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
; [[Genesis Plus GX]]
: A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[Sega Genesis emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438] (YM2612). The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:; [https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:; [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

; [[higan]]/[[ares]]
: Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

; [[PicoDrive]]
: Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

; [[BizHawk]]
: "Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

; [[Kega Fusion]]
: The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

; [[Exodus]]
: Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

; [http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
: A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

; [[MAME]]
: [[MAME compatibility list#Sega Genesis.2FMega Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

; [[mednafen]]
: Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
: Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

; [[GENS]]
: Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

; [[Nuked-MD]]
: Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

; [[ClownMDEmu]]
: Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)

* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

=== Sound emulation ===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.

* ymfm - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* Nuked - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.

There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

== Enhancements ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input lag|Input lag mitigating]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Graphics
|{{Enhancements/Graphics/Remove sprite limit|1=[https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture packs#Sprite Replacement (2D)|Sprite replacement]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen hacks#Sega Genesis|Widescreen hack]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60 FPS cheat codes|Internal frame rate hack]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega Genesis|Overclock]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High dynamic range#Inverse tone mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|cheat manager]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment.
Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods, hacks and fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|patch manager]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Portable and stealth}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save disk space for ISOs|Streamable compression format]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/TAS features/Frame step}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Macros/Scripts/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="8" |Misc.
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Ambient sounds simulation}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Audio filters and presets}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|Debug features||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual reality#VR game room simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega Drive .26 Peripherals|Netplay]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Rich Presence}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Screen translator}}
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}

== Hardware features and peripherals ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="3" |Hardware features
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Blast_processing Blast processing]<ref group="note">While it was originally a fictional 1993 Sega marketing gimmick slogan for general CPU/DMA speed, it later became slang among homebrew coders for "Direct Color DMA", a low-level trick of updating CRAM/video data mid-scanline. In this mode, the Genesis' CPU can enter that changes the colour pallette every time the CRT gun is fired, removing the usual constraints on the number of available colours per frame. No retail games used it because the developers could never get timings right back then, only several homebrew titles take advantage of this feature.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |On-cartridge save batteries||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Soft reset<ref group="note">This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="53" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |Console add-ons
| colspan="2" |32X||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="note">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD 32X]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="17" |Controllers
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/6_Button_Arcade_Pad 6 Button Arcade Pad]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Keyboard
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]]<ref group="note">Known in Brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Master System control pad||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Mouse]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst]<ref group="note">Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game ''Outback Joey'', both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#Sega Meganet (Genesis)|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Multitap
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |J-Cart||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun]<ref group="note">While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart]<ref group="note">Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2]<ref group="note">Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter]<ref group="note">System Converter in Europe.</ref>||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#XBAND Modem (Multi Platform)|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="14" |Unlicensed/unreleased
| colspan="2" |Action Replay||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="11" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |Cartridge hot swapping<ref group="note">It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting]<ref group="note">Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.</ref><ref name="Tilt">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor] (RTCV) tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |Derivatives of Sega's ''Super Street Fighter II'' mapper<ref group="note">The original mapper enables custom bank-switching logic and used only in the eponymous game; Sonic 2 Delta romhack mapper additionally enables SRAM battery saves; Krikzz's extended SSF2 Mapper which allows for up to 16MB ROMs on the Mega Everdrive Pro and additionally allows you to change the first bank in memory. Such derivatives are used in post-market games like ''Demons of Asteborg'', ''Astebros'', ''Earthion''.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper Datenmeister||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Extended VRAM|Extended VRAM]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Mega Drive.2FGenesis Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Switch between different hardware revisions
| colspan="2" |Switch between audio chips YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438<ref group="note">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this] and [https://consolemods.org/wiki/Genesis:Audio_Output_Comparison this].</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Switch between Genesis models and motherboard revisions||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Supports all 3 Genesis models and their motherboard revisions.</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}

=== Lock-on ===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The [https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack] also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):

* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

=== MIDI Keyboard ===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with MPTS as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the CD-MIDI standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

: [https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

=== Modes ===

==== Extended VRAM ====
[https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368 A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.]

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

==== Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD ====
The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection''.

== Hardware variants ==
{| {{Basic table}}
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
!FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Arcade|Arcade]]
|Mega Play||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Mega-Tech||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|System C-2||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Firecore|Firecore]]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Pico
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Pico|Pico]]||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#TeraDrive|TeraDrive]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Na}}
|}

=== [https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore] ===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

* Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
* There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

=== [https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive] ===
A hybrid of a DOS/V-powered PC and Mega Drive, with both parts capable of interfacing with each other. A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all. No emulators support it all, emulating it, if attempted, will be a non-trivial task as it would require a [[multi-emulator]] with synchronous emulation of both hardware sides and their connection to each other.

=== Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad ===
Placeholder Text

=== [[Sega Pico]] ===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.

: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

: See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== [[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]] ===

: [https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]

[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

: See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1) ===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

=== Arcade ===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:

* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

== Notes ==
{{Notelist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]

{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]
{{#seo:|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}}}

Template:JgenesisVer

2026-08-22T18:13:35Z

Sasha:

0.14.1 </center><noinclude>[[Category:Emulator templates]]</noinclude>

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-08-22T02:11:19Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The [[gametech:Sega_Genesis|'''Sega Genesis''']] ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by Sega in Japan on October 29, 1988, and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the Sega CD (alternatively Mega CD) and the 32X (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The Sega CD was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The Sega 32X was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

; Remember, certain titles for Sega/Mega CD, 32X, and CD + 32X games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

== Comparison ==
{{Emulator comparison introduction|[[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware features and peripherals|hardware features & peripherals]], and [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]]}}

=== Standalone emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware variants|Hardware variants]] section for more info.</ref>
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]

[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[GENS]]
[http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7] (Gens/GS)
[https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git] (Gens/GS II)

[http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b]
[https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960]
[https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}]
[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}]
[https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($)
[https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}]

[https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}]
[https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS|tvOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}]
[https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Switch}}||{{Ya}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]]
(Gigadrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|3DS}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git]

[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}]

[https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3]

[https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
| align="left" |{{Icon|NDS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Wii}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox360}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note" />
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|}

=== Multi-system emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts]
[https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Emulator compatibility|1892|1923|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis {{jgenesisVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]]
(Genesis Plus GX, PicoDrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds]
[http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼)
byuu (謬/view)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="note">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable]
[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds]

[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|}

=== Comparisons ===

; [[BlastEm]]
: Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
; [[Genesis Plus GX]]
: A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[Sega Genesis emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438] (YM2612). The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:; [https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:; [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

; [[higan]]/[[ares]]
: Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

; [[PicoDrive]]
: Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

; [[BizHawk]]
: "Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

; [[Kega Fusion]]
: The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

; [[Exodus]]
: Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

; [http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
: A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

; [[MAME]]
: [[MAME compatibility list#Sega Genesis.2FMega Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

; [[mednafen]]
: Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
: Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

; [[GENS]]
: Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

; [[Nuked-MD]]
: Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

; [[ClownMDEmu]]
: Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)

* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

=== Sound emulation ===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.

* ymfm - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* Nuked - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.

There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

== Enhancements ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input lag|Input lag mitigating]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Graphics
|{{Enhancements/Graphics/Remove sprite limit|1=[https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture packs#Sprite Replacement (2D)|Sprite replacement]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen hacks#Sega Genesis|Widescreen hack]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60 FPS cheat codes|Internal frame rate hack]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega Genesis|Overclock]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High dynamic range#Inverse tone mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|cheat manager]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment.
Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods, hacks and fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|patch manager]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Portable and stealth}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save disk space for ISOs|Streamable compression format]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/TAS features/Frame step}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Macros/Scripts/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="8" |Misc.
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Ambient sounds simulation}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Audio filters and presets}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|Debug features||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual reality#VR game room simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega Drive .26 Peripherals|Netplay]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Rich Presence}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Screen translator}}
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}

== Hardware features and peripherals ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="3" |Hardware features
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Blast_processing Blast processing]<ref group="note">While it was originally a fictional 1993 Sega marketing gimmick slogan for general CPU/DMA speed, it later became slang among homebrew coders for "Direct Color DMA", a low-level trick of updating CRAM/video data mid-scanline. In this mode, the Genesis' CPU can enter that changes the colour pallette every time the CRT gun is fired, removing the usual constraints on the number of available colours per frame. No retail games used it because the developers could never get timings right back then, only several homebrew titles take advantage of this feature.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |On-cartridge save batteries||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Soft reset<ref group="note">This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="53" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |Console add-ons
| colspan="2" |32X||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="note">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD 32X]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="17" |Controllers
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/6_Button_Arcade_Pad 6 Button Arcade Pad]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Keyboard
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]]<ref group="note">Known in Brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Master System control pad||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Mouse]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst]<ref group="note">Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game ''Outback Joey'', both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#Sega Meganet (Genesis)|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Multitap
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |J-Cart||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun]<ref group="note">While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart]<ref group="note">Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2]<ref group="note">Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter]<ref group="note">System Converter in Europe.</ref>||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#XBAND Modem (Multi Platform)|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="14" |Unlicensed/unreleased
| colspan="2" |Action Replay||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="11" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |Cartridge hot swapping<ref group="note">It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting]<ref group="note">Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.</ref><ref name="Tilt">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor] (RTCV) tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |Derivatives of Sega's ''Super Street Fighter II'' mapper<ref group="note">The original mapper enables custom bank-switching logic and used only in the eponymous game; Sonic 2 Delta romhack mapper additionally enables SRAM battery saves; Krikzz's extended SSF2 Mapper which allows for up to 16MB ROMs on the Mega Everdrive Pro and additionally allows you to change the first bank in memory. Such derivatives are used in post-market games like ''Demons of Asteborg'', ''Astebros'', ''Earthion''.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper Datenmeister||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Extended VRAM|Extended VRAM]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Mega Drive.2FGenesis Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Switch between different hardware revisions
| colspan="2" |Switch between audio chips YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438<ref group="note">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this] and [https://consolemods.org/wiki/Genesis:Audio_Output_Comparison this].</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Switch between Genesis models and motherboard revisions||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Supports all 3 Genesis models and their motherboard revisions.</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}

=== Lock-on ===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The [https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack] also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):

* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

=== MIDI Keyboard ===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with MPTS as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the CD-MIDI standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

: [https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

=== Modes ===

==== Extended VRAM ====
[https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368 A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.]

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

==== Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD ====
The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection''.

== Hardware variants ==
{| {{Basic table}}
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
!FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Arcade|Arcade]]
|Mega Play||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Mega-Tech||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|System C-2||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Firecore|Firecore]]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Pico
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Pico|Pico]]||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#TeraDrive|TeraDrive]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Na}}
|}

=== [https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore] ===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

* Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
* There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

=== [https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive] ===
A hybrid of a DOS/V-powered PC and Mega Drive, with both parts capable of interfacing with each other. A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all. No emulators support it all, emulating it, if attempted, will be a non-trivial task as it would require a [[multi-emulator]] with synchronous emulation of both hardware sides and their connection to each other.

=== Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad ===
Placeholder Text

=== [[Sega Pico]] ===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.

: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

: See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== [[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]] ===

: [https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]

[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

: See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1) ===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

=== Arcade ===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:

* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

== Notes ==
{{Notelist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]

{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]
{{#seo:|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-08-22T02:08:58Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The [[gametech:Sega_Genesis|'''Sega Genesis''']] ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by Sega in Japan on October 29, 1988, and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the Sega CD (alternatively Mega CD) and the 32X (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The Sega CD was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The Sega 32X was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

; Remember, certain titles for Sega/Mega CD, 32X, and CD + 32X games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

== Comparison ==
{{Emulator comparison introduction|[[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware features and peripherals|hardware features & peripherals]], and [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]]}}

=== Standalone emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware variants|Hardware variants]] section for more info.</ref>
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]

[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[GENS]]
[http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7] (Gens/GS)
[https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git] (Gens/GS II)

[http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b]
[https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960]
[https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}]
[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}]
[https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($)
[https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}]

[https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}]
[https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS|tvOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}]
[https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Switch}}||{{Ya}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]]
(Gigadrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|3DS}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git]

[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}]

[https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3]

[https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
| align="left" |{{Icon|NDS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Wii}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox360}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note" />
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|}

=== Multi-system emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts]
[https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Emulator compatibility|1892|1923|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis {{jgenesisVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]]
(Genesis Plus GX, PicoDrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds]
[http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼)
byuu (謬/view)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="note">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable]
[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds]

[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|}

=== Comparisons ===

; [[BlastEm]]
: Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
; [[Genesis Plus GX]]
: A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[Sega Genesis emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438] (YM2612). The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:; [https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:; [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

; [[higan]]/[[ares]]
: Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

; [[PicoDrive]]
: Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

; [[BizHawk]]
: "Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

; [[Kega Fusion]]
: The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

; [[Exodus]]
: Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

; [http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
: A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

; [[MAME]]
: [[MAME compatibility list#Sega Genesis.2FMega Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

; [[mednafen]]
: Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
: Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

; [[GENS]]
: Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

; [[Nuked-MD]]
: Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

; [[ClownMDEmu]]
: Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)

* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

=== Sound emulation ===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.

* ymfm - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* Nuked - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.

There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

== Enhancements ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input lag|Input lag mitigating]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Graphics
|{{Enhancements/Graphics/Remove sprite limit|1=[https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture packs#Sprite Replacement (2D)|Sprite replacement]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen hacks#Sega Genesis|Widescreen hack]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60 FPS cheat codes|Internal frame rate hack]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega Genesis|Overclock]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High dynamic range#Inverse tone mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|cheat manager]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment.
Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods, hacks and fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|patch manager]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Portable and stealth}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save disk space for ISOs|Streamable compression format]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/TAS features/Frame step}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Macros/Scripts/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="8" |Misc.
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Ambient sounds simulation}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Audio filters and presets}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|Debug features||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual reality#VR game room simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega Drive .26 Peripherals|Netplay]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Rich Presence}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Screen translator}}
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}

== Hardware features and peripherals ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="3" |Hardware features
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Blast_processing Blast processing]<ref group="note">While it was originally a fictional 1993 Sega marketing gimmick slogan for general CPU/DMA speed, it later became slang among homebrew coders for "Direct Color DMA", a low-level trick of updating CRAM/video data mid-scanline. In this mode, the Genesis' CPU can enter that changes the colour pallette every time the CRT gun is fired, removing the usual constraints on the number of available colours per frame. No retail games used it because the developers could never get timings right back then, only several homebrew titles take advantage of this feature.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |On-cartridge save batteries||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Soft reset<ref group="note">This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="53" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |Console add-ons
| colspan="2" |32X||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="note">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD 32X]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="17" |Controllers
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/6_Button_Arcade_Pad 6 Button Arcade Pad]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Keyboard
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]]<ref group="note">Known in Brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Master System control pad||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Mouse]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst]<ref group="note">Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game ''Outback Joey'', both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#Sega Meganet (Genesis)|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Multitap
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |J-Cart||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun]<ref group="note">While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart]<ref group="note">Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2]<ref group="note">Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter]<ref group="note">System Converter in Europe.</ref>||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#XBAND Modem (Multi Platform)|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="14" |Unlicensed/unreleased
| colspan="2" |Action Replay||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="11" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |Cartridge hot swapping<ref group="note">It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting]<ref group="note">Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.</ref><ref name="Tilt">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor] (RTCV) tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |Derivatives of Sega's ''Super Street Fighter II'' mapper<ref group="note">The original mapper enables custom bank-switching logic and used only in the eponymous game; Sonic 2 Delta romhack mapper additionally enables SRAM battery saves; Krikzz's extended SSF2 Mapper which allows for up to 16MB ROMs on the Mega Everdrive Pro and additionally allows you to change the first bank in memory. Such derivatives are used in post-market games like ''Demons of Asteborg'', ''Astebros'', ''Earthion''.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper Datenmeister||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Extended VRAM|Extended VRAM]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Mega Drive.2FGenesis Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Switch between different hardware revisions
| colspan="2" |Switch between audio chips YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438<ref group="note">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this] and [https://consolemods.org/wiki/Genesis:Audio_Output_Comparison this].</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Switch between Genesis models and motherboard revisions||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Supports all 3 Genesis models and their motherboard revisions.</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}

=== Lock-on ===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The [https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack] also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):

* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

=== MIDI Keyboard ===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with MPTS as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the CD-MIDI standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

: [https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

=== Modes ===

==== Extended VRAM ====
[https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368 A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.]

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

==== Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD ====
The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection''.

== Hardware variants ==
{| {{Basic table}}
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
!FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Arcade|Arcade]]
|Mega Play||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Mega-Tech||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|System C-2||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Firecore|Firecore]]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Pico
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Pico|Pico]]||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#TeraDrive|TeraDrive]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Na}}
|}

=== [https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore] ===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

* Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
* There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

=== [https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive] ===
A hybrid of a DOS/V-powered PC and Mega Drive, with both parts capable of interfacing with each other. A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all. No emulators support it all, emulating it, if attempted, will be a non-trivial task as it would require a [[multi-emulator]] with synchronous emulation of both hardware sides and their connection to each other.

=== Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad ===
Placeholder Text

=== [[Sega Pico]] ===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.

: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

: See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== [[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]] ===

: [https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]

[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

: See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1) ===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

=== Arcade ===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:

* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

== Notes ==
{{Notelist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]

{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]
{{#seo:|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}}}

Template:JgenesisVer

2026-08-22T02:02:37Z

Sasha:

0.14.0 </center><noinclude>[[Category:Emulator templates]]</noinclude>

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-08-12T18:48:07Z

Sasha: /* Multi-system emulators */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The [[gametech:Sega_Genesis|'''Sega Genesis''']] ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by Sega in Japan on October 29, 1988, and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the Sega CD (alternatively Mega CD) and the 32X (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The Sega CD was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The Sega 32X was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

; Remember, certain titles for Sega/Mega CD, 32X, and CD + 32X games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware features and peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

== Comparison ==
{{Emulator comparison introduction|[[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware features and peripherals|hardware features & peripherals]], and [[#Hardware variants|hardware variants]]}}

=== Standalone emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware variants|Hardware variants]] section for more info.</ref>
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]

[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Na}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[GENS]]
[http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7] (Gens/GS)
[https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git] (Gens/GS II)

[http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b]
[https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Na}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960]
[https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}]
[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}]
[https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($)
[https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}]

[https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}]
[https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}]
[https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Switch}}||{{Ya}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]]
(Gigadrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|3DS}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git]

[https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}]

[https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3]

[https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="note">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
| align="left" |{{Icon|NDS}}||{{Na}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Wii}}||{{Na}}
|N/A||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
| align="left" |{{Icon|PS2}}||{{~}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
| align="left" |{{Icon|Xbox360}}||{{Na}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref name=":0" group="note" />
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}]

[https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|}

=== Multi-system emulators ===
{| {{Emulator table}}
!Name
!Platform(s)
!Active?
!Latest version
![[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
![[Libretro|libretro core]]
![[Recommended emulators|Recommended? (overall)]]
|-
! colspan="8" |PC
|-
|[[ares]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts]
[https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Emulator compatibility|1892|1923|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis {{jgenesisVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]]
(Genesis Plus GX, PicoDrive)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds]
[http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}}
|||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}]
[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Ya}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼)
byuu (謬/view)
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="note">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}||{{Ya}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable]
[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds]

[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
|||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows}}||{{Ya}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
! colspan="8" |Browser
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Web}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|}

=== Comparisons ===

; [[BlastEm]]
: Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
; [[Genesis Plus GX]]
: A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[Sega Genesis emulators#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438] (YM2612). The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:; [https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:; [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
: Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

; [[higan]]/[[ares]]
: Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

; [[PicoDrive]]
: Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

; [[BizHawk]]
: "Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

; [[Kega Fusion]]
: The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

; [[Exodus]]
: Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

; [http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
: A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

; [[MAME]]
: [[MAME compatibility list#Sega Genesis.2FMega Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

; [[mednafen]]
: Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
: Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

; [[GENS]]
: Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

; [[Nuked-MD]]
: Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

; [[ClownMDEmu]]
: Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)

* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

=== Sound emulation ===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.

* ymfm - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* Nuked - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.

There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

== Enhancements ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input lag|Input lag mitigating]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Graphics
|{{Enhancements/Graphics/Remove sprite limit|1=[https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture packs#Sprite Replacement (2D)|Sprite replacement]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen hacks#Sega Genesis|Widescreen hack]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60 FPS cheat codes|Internal frame rate hack]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega Genesis|Overclock]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High dynamic range#Inverse tone mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|cheat manager]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment.
Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods, hacks and fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats and patches|patch manager]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Portable and stealth}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save disk space for ISOs|Streamable compression format]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/TAS features/Frame step}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Macros/Scripts/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="8" |Misc.
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Ambient sounds simulation}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Audio filters and presets}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|Debug features||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual reality#VR game room simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega Drive .26 Peripherals|Netplay]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />||{{~}}<ref name="libretroRA" group="note" />
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Rich Presence}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Misc./Screen translator}}
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}

== Hardware features and peripherals ==
{| {{Basic table}}
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
|-
| rowspan="2" |Hardware features
| colspan="3" |On-cartridge save batteries||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |Soft reset<ref group="note">This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="53" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |Console add-ons
| colspan="2" |32X||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="note">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Disc Drive emulation|Sega CD 32X]]||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="17" |Controllers
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/6_Button_Arcade_Pad 6 Button Arcade Pad]||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Keyboard
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]]<ref group="note">Known in Brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Master System control pad||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List of console games that support keyboard and mouse#Sega Genesis|Mouse]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst]<ref group="note">Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game ''Outback Joey'', both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#Sega Meganet (Genesis)|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Multitap
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |J-Cart||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun]<ref group="note">While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart]<ref group="note">Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2]<ref group="note">Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter]<ref group="note">System Converter in Europe.</ref>||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early online services#XBAND Modem (Multi Platform)|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="14" |Unlicensed/unreleased
| colspan="2" |Action Replay||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="note">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="9" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |Cartridge hot swapping<ref group="note">It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting]<ref group="note">Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.</ref><ref name="Tilt">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor] (RTCV) tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |Paprium mapper||{{Ya}}<ref group="note">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Pier Solar mapper||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Extended VRAM|Extended VRAM]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Mega Drive.2FGenesis Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="note">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this] and [https://consolemods.org/wiki/Genesis:Audio_Output_Comparison this].</ref>||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|}

=== Lock-on ===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The [https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack] also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):

* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

=== MIDI Keyboard ===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with MPTS as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the CD-MIDI standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

: [https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

=== Modes ===

==== Extended VRAM ====
[https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368 A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.]

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

==== Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD ====
The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection''.

== Hardware variants ==
{| {{Basic table}}
! colspan="2" style="width:50%" |Name
!Genesis Plus GX
!PicoDrive
!BlastEm
!ares
!jgenesis
!FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Arcade|Arcade]]
|Mega Play||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Mega-Tech||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|System C-2||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Firecore|Firecore]]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Pico
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Sega Genesis emulators#Pico|Pico]]||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Sega Genesis emulators#TeraDrive|TeraDrive]]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|||{{Na}}
|}

=== [https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore] ===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

* Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
* There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

=== [https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive] ===
A hybrid of a DOS/V-powered PC and Mega Drive, with both parts capable of interfacing with each other. A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all. No emulators support it all, emulating it, if attempted, will be a non-trivial task as it would require a [[multi-emulator]] with synchronous emulation of both hardware sides and their connection to each other.

=== Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad ===
Placeholder Text

=== [[Sega Pico]] ===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.

: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

: See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== [[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]] ===

: [https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]

[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

: See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

=== Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1) ===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

=== Arcade ===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:

* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

== Notes ==
{{Notelist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]

{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]
{{#seo:|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}}}

Template:JgenesisVer

2026-06-29T23:57:24Z

Sasha:

0.13.1 </center><noinclude>[[Category:Emulator Templates]]</noinclude>

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T23:46:26Z

Sasha: /* Multi-system emulators */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.1]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="9" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 |[[#TeraDrive|TeraDrive]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive]===
A hybrid of a DOS/V-powered PC and Mega Drive, with both parts capable of interfacing with each other. A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all. No emulators support it all, emulating it, if attempted, will be a non-trivial task as it would require a [[multi-emulator]] with synchronous emulation of both hardware sides and their connection to each other.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T08:20:53Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:26:16Z

Sasha: /* Enhancements */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:25:03Z

Sasha: /* Enhancements */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:23:35Z

Sasha: /* Enhancements */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:21:43Z

Sasha: /* Enhancements */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:16:53Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:13:17Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:11:47Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:09:28Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T07:06:58Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T06:55:36Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T06:51:14Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T06:49:42Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T06:48:08Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T06:47:00Z

Sasha: /* Hardware features and peripherals */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="5" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="5" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T05:36:17Z

Sasha: /* Enhancements */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="4" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T05:35:13Z

Sasha: /* Enhancements */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="4" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T05:32:49Z

Sasha: /* Enhancements */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="4" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-29T05:28:48Z

Sasha: /* Enhancements */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! jgenesis
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="5" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="5" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Na}}
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Na}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="5" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men'' which is the only game unplayable on Nomad.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="52" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="17" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Control Pad]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="4" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Teradrive hybrid mode] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, ''Puzzle Construction'' allows uses to construct their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side. Another use is by ''Manhole'' whose DOS/V version lets game's FM music be played by the FM synthesiser on the MD side. ''Drakkhen'', ''Janou Touryuumon II'', ''Page Pro-S'', ''Princess Maker'', ''The BestPlay Baseball'' are also advertised as Teradrive-compatible DOS/V games but it's unknown how they leverage MD hardware if they do at all.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-22T02:59:28Z

Sasha: /* Standalone emulators */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="4" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="4" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men''.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="51" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="16" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="4" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Hybrid processing] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, Puzzle Construction allows uses to “construct” their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Jgenesis

2026-06-21T10:35:31Z

Sasha: /* Download */

{{lowercase title}}
{{WIP}}
{{Infobox emulator
|title = jgenesis
|logo =
|logowidth =
|version = {{Version|jgenesis}}
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on browsers|Web (WASM)]]
|target = [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES / Famicom]] [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES / Super Famicom]] [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy (Color)]] [[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]] [[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]] [[Master_System_emulators|Master System]] [[Master_System_emulators|Game Gear]] [[Sega Genesis emulators|Genesis/Mega Drive]] Sega CD / Mega CD Sega 32X / Mega 32X
|developer = [https://github.com/jsgroth James Groth (jsgroth)]
|accuracy = Cycle-accurate
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|Rust}}
|license = {{License|GPLv3}}, formerly {{License|MIT}}
|source = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis GitHub]
|issuetracker = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/issues GitHub]
}}
'''jgenesis''' is a free and open-source [[multi-system emulators|multi-system emulator]] for Windows, Linux and web (WASM). '''jgenesis''' passes most accuracy tests, such as Nemesis’ VDP FIFO Testing, direct color DMA and DMA speed test, M68k opcode sizes, and the MD soft checker. Can run the Titan Overdrive and Titan Overdrive 2 demos for the Mega Drive. The weak point of this emulator is the lack of support for non-commercial games, or for some specific mappers.

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win-big|Lin-big|Web-big}}
|'''[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases Official releases]'''
|}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Multi-emulators]]
[[Category:Famicom (NES) emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:SG-1000 emulators]]
[[Category:Master System emulators]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy Advance emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:Web emulation software]]
[[Category:Stubs]]
[[Category:Active emulation software]]

Jgenesis

2026-06-21T10:32:30Z

Sasha: /* Download */

{{lowercase title}}
{{WIP}}
{{Infobox emulator
|title = jgenesis
|logo =
|logowidth =
|version = {{Version|jgenesis}}
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on browsers|Web (WASM)]]
|target = [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES / Famicom]] [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES / Super Famicom]] [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy (Color)]] [[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]] [[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]] [[Master_System_emulators|Master System]] [[Master_System_emulators|Game Gear]] [[Sega Genesis emulators|Genesis/Mega Drive]] Sega CD / Mega CD Sega 32X / Mega 32X
|developer = [https://github.com/jsgroth James Groth (jsgroth)]
|accuracy = Cycle-accurate
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|Rust}}
|license = {{License|GPLv3}}, formerly {{License|MIT}}
|source = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis GitHub]
|issuetracker = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/issues GitHub]
}}
'''jgenesis''' is a free and open-source [[multi-system emulators|multi-system emulator]] for Windows, Linux and web (WASM). '''jgenesis''' passes most accuracy tests, such as Nemesis’ VDP FIFO Testing, direct color DMA and DMA speed test, M68k opcode sizes, and the MD soft checker. Can run the Titan Overdrive and Titan Overdrive 2 demos for the Mega Drive. It has excellent compatibility with most games. The weak point of this emulator is the lack of support for non-commercial games, or for some specific mappers.

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win-big|Lin-big|Web-big}}
|'''[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases Official releases]'''
|}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Multi-emulators]]
[[Category:Famicom (NES) emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:SG-1000 emulators]]
[[Category:Master System emulators]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy Advance emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:Web emulation software]]
[[Category:Stubs]]
[[Category:Active emulation software]]

Jgenesis

2026-06-21T10:25:23Z

Sasha: /* Download */

{{lowercase title}}
{{WIP}}
{{Infobox emulator
|title = jgenesis
|logo =
|logowidth =
|version = {{Version|jgenesis}}
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on browsers|Web (WASM)]]
|target = [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES / Famicom]] [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES / Super Famicom]] [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy (Color)]] [[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]] [[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]] [[Master_System_emulators|Master System]] [[Master_System_emulators|Game Gear]] [[Sega Genesis emulators|Genesis/Mega Drive]] Sega CD / Mega CD Sega 32X / Mega 32X
|developer = [https://github.com/jsgroth James Groth (jsgroth)]
|accuracy = Cycle-accurate
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|Rust}}
|license = {{License|GPLv3}}, formerly {{License|MIT}}
|source = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis GitHub]
|issuetracker = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/issues GitHub]
}}
'''jgenesis''' is a free and open-source [[multi-system emulators|multi-system emulator]] for Windows, Linux and web (WASM). This emulator passes most accuracy tests, such as Nemesis’ VDP FIFO Testing, direct color DMA and DMA speed test, M68k opcode sizes, and the MD soft checker. Can run the Titan Overdrive and Titan Overdrive 2 demos for the Mega Drive. It has excellent compatibility with most games. The weak point of this emulator is the lack of support for non-commercial games, or for some specific mappers.

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win-big|Lin-big|Web-big}}
|'''[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases Official releases]'''
|}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Multi-emulators]]
[[Category:Famicom (NES) emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:SG-1000 emulators]]
[[Category:Master System emulators]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy Advance emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:Web emulation software]]
[[Category:Stubs]]
[[Category:Active emulation software]]

Jgenesis

2026-06-21T10:16:44Z

Sasha: /* Download */

{{lowercase title}}
{{WIP}}
{{Infobox emulator
|title = jgenesis
|logo =
|logowidth =
|version = {{Version|jgenesis}}
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on browsers|Web (WASM)]]
|target = [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES / Famicom]] [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES / Super Famicom]] [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy (Color)]] [[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]] [[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]] [[Master_System_emulators|Master System]] [[Master_System_emulators|Game Gear]] [[Sega Genesis emulators|Genesis/Mega Drive]] Sega CD / Mega CD Sega 32X / Mega 32X
|developer = [https://github.com/jsgroth James Groth (jsgroth)]
|accuracy = Cycle-accurate
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|Rust}}
|license = {{License|GPLv3}}, formerly {{License|MIT}}
|source = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis GitHub]
|issuetracker = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/issues GitHub]
}}
'''jgenesis''' is a free and open-source [[multi-system emulators|multi-system emulator]] for Windows, Linux and web (WASM). This emulator passes most accuracy tests, such as Nemesis’ VDP FIFO Testing, direct color DMA, DMA speed test, M68k opcode sizes, and the MD soft checker. It has excellent compatibility with games. The weak point of this emulator is the lack of support for non-commercial games, or for some specific mappers.

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win-big|Lin-big|Web-big}}
|'''[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases Official releases]'''
|}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Multi-emulators]]
[[Category:Famicom (NES) emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:SG-1000 emulators]]
[[Category:Master System emulators]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy Advance emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:Web emulation software]]
[[Category:Stubs]]
[[Category:Active emulation software]]

Template:JgenesisVer

2026-06-20T05:25:51Z

Sasha:

0.13.0 </center><noinclude>[[Category:Emulator Templates]]</noinclude>

Jgenesis

2026-06-20T05:22:42Z

Sasha: /* Download */

{{lowercase title}}
{{WIP}}
{{Infobox emulator
|title = jgenesis
|logo =
|logowidth =
|version = {{Version|jgenesis}}
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on browsers|Web (WASM)]]
|target = [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES / Famicom]] [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES / Super Famicom]] [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy (Color)]] [[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]] [[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]] [[Master_System_emulators|Master System]] [[Master_System_emulators|Game Gear]] [[Sega Genesis emulators|Genesis/Mega Drive]] Sega CD / Mega CD Sega 32X / Mega 32X
|developer = [https://github.com/jsgroth James Groth (jsgroth)]
|accuracy = Cycle-accurate
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|Rust}}
|license = {{License|GPLv3}}, formerly {{License|MIT}}
|source = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis GitHub]
|issuetracker = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/issues GitHub]
}}
'''jgenesis''' is a free and open-source [[multi-system emulators|multi-system emulator]] for Windows, Linux and web (WASM).

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win-big|Lin-big|Web-big}}
|'''[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases Official releases]'''
|}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Multi-emulators]]
[[Category:Famicom (NES) emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:SG-1000 emulators]]
[[Category:Master System emulators]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy Advance emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:Web emulation software]]
[[Category:Stubs]]
[[Category:Active emulation software]]

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-20T05:17:52Z

Sasha: /* Standalone emulators */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="4" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="4" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men''.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="51" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="16" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="4" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Hybrid processing] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, Puzzle Construction allows uses to “construct” their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

{{#seo:
|keywords=video games,emulation,emulator,emu,wiki,download,recommended,guide,list,sega,genesis,mega,drive,megadrive,32x
|description=Information and recommendations for the best {{PAGENAME}} and where to download them.
|published_time={{#time:c|{{REVISIONTIMESTAMP}}}}
}}

Jgenesis

2026-06-20T05:11:15Z

Sasha: /* Download */

{{lowercase title}}
{{WIP}}
{{Infobox emulator
|title = jgenesis
|logo =
|logowidth =
|version = {{Version|jgenesis}}
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]] [[Emulators on Linux|Linux]] [[Emulators on browsers|Web (WASM)]]
|target = [[Nintendo Entertainment System emulators|NES / Famicom]] [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES / Super Famicom]] [[Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators|Game Boy (Color)]] [[Game Boy Advance emulators|Game Boy Advance]] [[SG-1000 emulators|SG-1000]] [[Master_System_emulators|Master System]] [[Master_System_emulators|Game Gear]] [[Sega Genesis emulators|Genesis/Mega Drive]] Sega CD / Mega CD Sega 32X / Mega 32X
|developer = [https://github.com/jsgroth James Groth (jsgroth)]
|accuracy = Highly-Accurate
|prog-lang = {{Proglang|Rust}}
|license = {{License|GPLv3}}, formerly {{License|MIT}}
|source = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis GitHub]
|issuetracker = [https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/issues GitHub]
}}
'''jgenesis''' is a free and open-source [[multi-system emulators|multi-system emulator]] for Windows, Linux and web (WASM).

==Download==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win-big|Lin-big|Web-big}}
|'''[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis/releases Official releases]'''
|}

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Multi-emulators]]
[[Category:Famicom (NES) emulators]]
[[Category:Super Nintendo emulators]]
[[Category:SG-1000 emulators]]
[[Category:Master System emulators]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators]]
[[Category:Game Boy Advance emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software‏‎]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:Web emulation software]]
[[Category:Stubs]]
[[Category:Active emulation software]]

Sega Genesis emulators

2026-06-20T05:02:09Z

Sasha: /* Standalone emulators */

{{Infobox computing device/Sega Genesis}}
{{Gametech|[[Gametech:Sega Mega Drive/Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]]}}
{{for|emulators that run on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive|Emulators on Sega Genesis}}

The '''[[gametech:Sega_Genesis|Sega Genesis]]''' ('''Mega Drive''' outside North America and parts of South America) is a 16-bit, fourth-generation console released by [[wikipedia:Sega|Sega]] in Japan on October 29, 1988 and in the US on August 14, 1989, where it retailed for {{Inflation|USD|189.99|1989}}. It had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 7.6 MHz and a Zilog Z80 at 3.58 MHz. It had several add-ons, including a CD add-on called the '''Sega CD''' (alternatively '''Mega CD''') and the '''32X''' (a 32-bit, cartridge-based add-on).

The '''Sega CD''' was released in Japan on December 12, 1991, and in the US on October 15, 1992 and retailed for {{Inflation|USD|299.99|1992}} and had a Motorola 68000 CPU at 12.5 MHz and 6 Mbit of RAM. The '''Sega 32X''' was released on November 21, 1994 for {{Inflation|USD|159.99|1994}}. It had 2 SH-2 RISC CPUs at 23 MHz with 256KB of RAM and 256KB of VRAM.

Genesis/Mega Drive emulation is very good, with a high degree of game compatibility (many of them claim nearly 100% compatibility with commercial games, including ''Virtua Racing''). They are available on many platforms. Many Genesis/Mega Drive emulators also feature compatibility with the [[Master System emulators|Sega Master System]] (SMS), and the [[Master System emulators|Game Gear]] (GG) as well as earlier Sega consoles. However, Genesis/Mega Drive-based arcade boards and the [[Sega Pico]] are still sketchy.

;Remember, certain titles for [[Wikipedia:List_of_Sega_CD_games|Sega/Mega CD]], [[Wikipedia:List_of_32X_games|32X and CD + 32X]] games are dependent on those add-ons. Make sure your chosen emulator [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|supports those add-ons]] if you want to play them.

==Emulators==
===Standalone emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;line-height:1.5;width:74%;font-size:90%;"
|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators. See tables for [[#Hardware variations|hardware variations]], [[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]]. For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! Active
! [[Licensing|License]]
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|LinuxARM|macOSx86|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone/blob/master/genesis_plus_gx_libretro.dll Cyclone libretro core]<ref group="lower-alpha">Recommended for using with Firecore clone titles. See [[#Hardware variations|Hardware variations]] section for more info.</ref>||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|Pandora|Web}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BlastEm]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/nightlies/ Nightly builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core] [https://www.retrodev.com/blastem/changes.html {{BlastEmVer}}]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Kega Fusion]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[http://www.carpeludum.com/kega-fusion 3.64]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Exodus]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://www.exodusemulator.com/index.php/downloads/current-release {{ExodusVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
||[[GENS]] [http://segaretro.org/Gens/GS Gens GS/II] (derived from GENS)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD|BeOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS#Downloads r7 (Gens/GS)] [https://github.com/GerbilSoft/gens-gs-ii git (Gens/GS II)] [http://gens.me/downloads.shtml 2.14]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[http://dgen.sourceforge.net/ DGen]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[[sourceforge:projects/dgen/files/dgen/|1.33]]||{{Na}}
|{{Green}} {{License|BSD3}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Genecyst]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205202050/http://www.zophar.net/genecyst/gcystxxx.zip x.xx]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|KGen/KGen98
| align="left" |{{Icon|DOS}}
|[https://segaretro.org/KGen 034b] [https://segaretro.org/KGen98 9804]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Megado
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/merwaaan/megado git]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Regen
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html 0.972]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Nuked-MD
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-MD {{Nuked-MDVer}}]||{{~}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroCopy]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://segaretro.org/RetroCopy 0.960] [https://www.emucr.com/2012/08/retrocopy-v100-beta-5.html 1.00 Beta 5]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|MD.emu
| align="left" |{{Icon|Pyra}}
|[https://pyra-handheld.com/repo/apps/77 1.5.46.02 Pyra]||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[jgenesis]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/jsgroth/jgenesis 0.13.0]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[ClownMDEmu]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|Web}}
|[https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-frontend/releases/latest {{clownmdemuVer}}] [https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-libretro/releases/latest libretro core] [http://clownmdemu.clownacy.com Web browser]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Ya}}||{{TBD|link=https://github.com/Clownacy/clownmdemu-core/blob/ac37a204cdabc5951d747f0e30bfef63f0b94432/TODO.md#unimplemented}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Mobile
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|MD.emu
|align=left|{{Icon|Android}}
|[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.explusalpha.MdEmu {{.emuVer}}] (Android)||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android}}
|[http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/android/latest/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Android|iOS}}
|[https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Folium]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/folium/id6498623389 App Store] ($) [https://folium.emuplace.app/downloads {{FoliumVer}}] [https://github.com/emuplace/folium.emuplace.app/releases/latest Latest IPA]||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Provenance]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/provenance-app/id1596862805 {{ProvenanceVer}}][https://github.com/Provenance-Emu/Provenance/releases git]
|{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Manic EMU]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/manic-emu-game-emulator/id6743335790 {{Manic EMUVer}}][https://github.com/Manic-EMU/ManicEMU/releases git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
|[[Delta]]
|align=left|{{Icon|iOS|iPadOS}}
|[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/delta-game-emulator/id1048524688 {{DeltaVer}}] [https://github.com/rileytestut/Delta git]||{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| ||{{Na}}||{{TBD}}
|-
! colspan="8" | Console
|-
|[[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
|align=left|{{Icon|Switch}}
|N/A||{{Ya}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Sega 3D Classics]] (Gigadrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|3DS}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|NeoGenesis
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/neogenesis-v25-download-sega-genesis-megadrive-32x-segacd-megacd-emulator.13698 V25]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Genesis Plus GX]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox|Xbox360|GCN|Wii|WiiU|NX|PS3|Vita|3DS}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/src/master/builds/ git] [https://bitbucket.org/eke/genesis-plus-gx/downloads {{GenPlusGXVer}}] [https://digiex.net/threads/retroarch-360-0-9-8-3-download-sega-sens-gameboy-finalburn-emulator-for-xbox-360.12395 RetroArch 360 0.9.8.3] [https://www.brewology.com/downloads/download.php?id=12472&mcid= 1.2]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[PicoDrive]]
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2|Wii|PSP|PS3|Switch|NDS|3DS|Gizmondo|Wiz|GP2X}}
|[https://retroarch.com/?page=platforms {{RetroArchVer}}] [http://notaz.gp2x.de/pico.php {{PicoDriveVer}}] [https://www.ps2-home.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=99&t=1710 PicoDrive 1.51b]||{{Ya}}
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}}<ref group="lower-alpha">DS/3DS version uses an open-source license.</ref>
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|jEnesisDS
|align=left|{{Icon|NDS}}
|[https://nds.scenebeta.com/noticia/jenesisds v0.7.4]||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Virtual Console]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Wii}}
|N/A||{{Na}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|PGEN
|align=left|{{Icon|PS2}}
|[https://github.com/AKuHAK/pgen git]||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Sega Genesis Plus
|align=left|{{Icon|Xbox360}}
|[https://digiex.net/threads/sega-genesis-plus-libexnon-genesis-megadrive-emulator-for-xbox-360-download.9936 Libxenon]||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|}

===Multi-system emulators===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%;"
! Name
! Platform(s)
! Latest version
! [[Licensing|License]]
! Active
!Compatibility
!libretro core
! Recommended
|-
! colspan="8" | PC
|-
|[[ares]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOSx86|FreeBSD}}
|[https://nightly.link/ares-emulator/ares/workflows/build/master git Artifacts] [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/releases {{aresVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|ISC}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Emulator compatibility|link=https://ares-emu.net/compatibility |1892|1923}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[BizHawk]] (Genesis Plus GX) (PicoDrive)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux}}
|[https://gitlab.com/TASVideos/BizHawk/-/pipelines Dev builds] [http://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory.html {{BizHawkVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} {{License|GPL}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[MAME]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|git artifacts<ref group="lower-alpha">[https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-windows/master CI-Windows] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-linux/master CI-Linux] [https://nightly.link/mamedev/mame/workflows/ci-macos/master CI-Macos]</ref>[http://www.mamedev.org/release.html {{MAMEVer}}] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}) {{License|BSD3}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{~}}
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[{{MednafenURL|releases/}} {{MednafenVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[higan]] (火眼) byuu (謬/view)
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}
|[https://github.com/higan-emu/higan/releases {{higanVer}}]
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}}) ||{{Na}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Na}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Superseded by [[ares]]</ref>
|-
|[[FinalBurn Neo]]
| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS}}
|[https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/latest Stable] [https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo/releases/tag/latest WIP builds] [https://buildbot.libretro.com/nightly/ libretro core]
|{{Yellow}} {{License|NC}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Pantheon]]
|align=left|{{Icon|Windows}}
|[http://bostjan-grandovec.si/Content/News.html {{PantheonVer}}]
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}} ||{{Ya}}
| ||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===Comparisons===
;[[BlastEm]]
:Aims for cycle accuracy but unlike Exodus, aims for lower system requirements and has substantially higher compatibility. Latest stable release is quite old, use nightly or libretro core. BlastEm's own sound implementation is solid, however [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/b6ktic/blastem_genmd_emu_062_released/ejlgfi0/ it's still a bit less accurate than Nuked core]. Differences between them are mostly inaudible though and both are way more accurate than the old MAME sound emulation core. System requirements are so low that there is really no reason to use anything less accurate on any reasonably modern PC. Its biggest downside is poor support for accessories or Sega 8-bit consoles and its poor UI in the standalone version.
;[[Genesis Plus GX]]:A solid emulator for the Sega Genesis / Sega Master System / Sega CD / Game Gear. Made primarily for the Gamecube, it also has a Wii version and a cross-platform libretro core. The only things it lacks are 32X and Pico support, and a native desktop port. The only way to get this emulator on the desktop is to use the aforementioned libretro core, which allows for all the benefits of libretro like EmuVR support, shader presets, dynamic sync, and other [[#Enhancements|enhancements]]. The version used in [[BizHawk]] adds features for speedrunners but only the version used in [[RetroArch]] supports [https://github.com/nukeykt/Nuked-OPN2 Nuked OPN2 cycle-accurate Yamaha YM3438(YM2612)]. The default option for sound emulation, available in all versions, is the old MAME core, because it's very fast.

:;[https://github.com/libretro/Genesis-Plus-GX-Wide Genesis Plus GX Wide]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes experimental widescreen options. Sega CD/Mega CD games are currently unsupported.

:;[https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis Plus GX-Cyclone]
:Custom fork of Genesis Plus GX available as a libretro core, it includes support for games with enhanced graphics designed for the Firecore system-on-a-chip made by Digital Media Cartridge Ltd.

;[[higan]]/[[ares]]
:Also developing cycle-accurate Genesis emulation, akin to its own [[Super Nintendo emulators|SNES emulator]] core. v130 version brings [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/commits/master/ares/component/audio/ym2612 "YM2612 improvement"] and [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/xs5tol/ares_v130_released_multi_system_cross_platform/ support for "Mega Mouse"]. [https://ares-emu.net/news/ares-v131-released v131 version] of [[ares]] boasts 95% compatibility with 32X games, while there are still minor glitches, this is leaps and bounds better than other emulators as of late December 2022. [https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/11ltlvu/ares_multisystem_emulator_v132_has_been_released/ v132 version] of [[ares]] brings every single Sega Mega CD game at least boots; with an estimated 86% of the library playable to completion.

;[[PicoDrive]]
:Strongly prioritizes performance over accuracy. Compatibility and accuracy historically wasn't as good as Genesis Plus GX but it's useful on very underpowered systems like the Raspberry Pi Zero. Currently the first and only cross-platform option for Pico games. Since recent years, [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive a fork of it by irixxxx] managed to greatly improve the accuracy of this emulator, as of version 2.00 PicoDrive can run Overdrive 2 demo from start to end without major noticeable glitches. 32X and SMS accuracy has also improved, and Game Gear support has been added.

;[[BizHawk]]
:"Just works out of the box" solution for Genesis/Mega Drive, CD & 32X, bundled with two cores (Genplus-GX/Genesis Plus GX [https://github.com/TASEmulators/BizHawk/issues/1528 without Nuked OPN2 support] and PicoDrive), ensuring both excellent compatibility and good speed.

;[[Kega Fusion]]
:The project of an employee with previous experience at Sega. Kega Fusion has high compatibility, is easy to use, and has plugin-based filter support but it is no longer updated. It has been surpassed by better emulators and also has some issues on newer versions of Windows which can be solved with compatibility settings.

;[[Exodus]]
:Exodus is one of the first emulators to attempt cycle accuracy at the high cost of system requirements.

;[http://aamirm.hacking-cult.org/www/regen.html Regen]
:A focus on accuracy has earned its high compatibility with games, but it does not emulate the Sega CD and 32X. It also allows [[overclocking]].

;[[MAME]]
:[[MAME_compatibility_list#Sega_Genesis.2FMega_Drive|Runs most games fine]]. Some don't work that well, but it's got about a [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=megadriv&compatibility= 95% compatibility rate]. Almost all of the C/C-2 arcade games work well in MAME - only the Print Club games don't work. CD emulation not that good, the extra processors throw in more timing problems and 32X emulation has lots of timing issues. There are also suspected SH2 core bugs that come up more frequently on the 32X due to most games being programmed in assembly instead of C like most other SH2 platforms.

;[[mednafen]]
:Mednafen's Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation is based off of Genesis Plus and information and code from Genesis Plus GX (old GPL-licensed version). The GPL-incompatible CPU and sound emulation cores in the aforementioned projects have been replaced with GPLed or GPL-compatible alternatives; heavily modified and improved YM2612 emulation from Gens, and Z80 emulation core from FUSE. In its time, it was one of the only Genesis emulators not under a strict non-commercial license.
:Sega Genesis/Megadrive emulation should still be considered experimental; there are still likely timing bugs in the 68K emulation code, the YM2612 emulation code is not particularly accurate, and the VDP code has timing-related issues.

;[[GENS]]
:Close to Kega Fusion in features and compatibility but has largely been surpassed by better emulators. There are many different forks and iterations of Gens, so your experience will differ quite a lot depending on which version you use.

;[[Nuked-MD]]
:Emulates the Mega Drive hardware at the gate-level and is thus extremely accurate, but this accuracy comes at the cost of very low performance. A more practical FPGA port is also available.

;[[ClownMDEmu]]
:Debugging emulator, to assist with the development of homebrew and ROM-hacks. A libretro core is available for general use. Aims to be as accurate as possible whilst maintaining low system requirements. Also supports the Sega CD.

; [[Nintendo Switch Online]] (m2engage)
* Genesis support was added to Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in September 2021, alongside N64 games;
* Users are limited to the selection of games Nintendo chooses to make available on the service;
* Game lineup recycles pretty much everything from Sega Genesis Mini 1 and/or 2 minus the licensed IP (anime, manga, Disney, etc.) and Sega CD games;
* Supports online and Local Play (up to 2 players);
* Different games between regions (Japan and International)

===Sound emulation===
There are several options to emulate the sound hardware of the Genesis, some of them are shared by more than one emulator.
* '''ymfm''' - Originally written during the summer and fall of 2020 as part of the MAME project, which currently uses it. It aims for audibly indistinguishable accuracy with a reasonable performance.
* '''Nuked''' - Cycle-accurate core, aiming for the highest accuracy while still being usable in actual games. A go-to option for modern machines.
There are also emulator-specific sound emulation codes of varying accuracy, performance and general quality.

==Enhancements==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan=2 |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Controls
|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|-
|rowspan="4" |Graphics
|Remove sprite limit [https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=17601 The Sega Genesis can handle up to 80 on-screen sprites, 20 sprites per scanline.] – this limitation is indirectly responsible for some of the flickering seen in games at times and different strategies must be used to achieve certain game design elements. When this option is enabled, the limit is disabled, allowing more sprites to be drawn on the same line.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[Resolution|Resizable internal resolution]]
| colspan="4" |For emulation of 2D systems, the resolution can only be upscaled, making the pixels more apparent.
|-
|[[Texture_packs#Sprite_Replacement_.282D.29|Sprite replacement]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Widescreen_hacks#Sega_Genesis|Widescreen hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Performance
|[[30/60_FPS_cheat_codes|Internal frame rate hack]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Overclocking#Sega_Genesis|Overclock]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="4" |Post-processing
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/AI-powered filter compatible}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Filters}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}} Scanlines only.
|-
|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya|link=https://www.libretro.com/index.php/category/hdr/}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Post-processing/Shader chain}}
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/1397}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="12" |Quality of life
|Automatic emulated controller connect/disconnect Automatically connects or disconnects emulated controllers when a new or current controller is connected or disconnected.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|Automatic updater
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Big Picture Mode
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]
|{{Ya|link=https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/crtswitchres/ libretro cores] and [[GroovyMAME]] at the moment. Also there is a [https://github.com/psakhis/Groovy_MiSTer project] for achieving software emulators like libretro cores and GroovyMAME send the raw RGB data over a network to a core running on MiSTer, it basically turns the MiSTer into a GPU for the emulator allowing for easy setup and use with CRT TVs/Arcade monitors.
|-
|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|patch manager]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Command-line options
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Pause/Resume emulation
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Per-game profiles
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#portable Portable] and [https://www.portablefreeware.com/faq.php#stealth stealth] Useful enhancement feature for non-personal computer use or plug-and-play scenarios. However, the software may still require the necessary [[Computer_specifications#Operating_System|prerequisites and dependencies]] for your operating system if it is not statically linked.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs|Streamable compression format]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|rowspan="6" |[https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]
|Fast forward/Turbo speed
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|Frame step (forwards and backwards)
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Rewind
|{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Save states
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|rowspan="8" |Misc.
|[[Sound and audio#Ambient_sounds_simulation|Ambient sounds simulation]] Simulation of audio from original hardware and environments, such as mechanical hard drive, floppy diskette, and optical drive noises (e.g., head seeks, spin-up/down, tray loading, disc spinning, and clicking), variable CRT flyback transformer whine (the classic high-pitched "coil whine" that dynamically changes pitch based on screen brightness and content), arcade cabinet effects (e.g., fan hum or button rattles), and other background ambient noises.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[Sound and audio#Audio filters and presets|Audio filters and presets]] Simulation of characteristic playback limitations and coloration of vintage consumer audio hardware, such as CRT television speakers, arcade cabinets, handheld consoles, early PC sound outputs, and low-fidelity integrated speakers. These filters are not intended to be perfectly accurate recreations, but rather to evoke the tonal qualities, distortion, bandwidth limits, resonance, and compression associated with 8-bit and 16-bit era devices. Examples include mono or narrow stereo output, reduced frequency response, speaker cone distortion, mild saturation, aliasing, and preset lo-fi profiles inspired by classic TVs, portable game systems, radios, and retro multimedia hardware.
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://github.com/RetroCrisis/Retro-Crisis-Audio-Filters libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Category:Debugging|Debug features]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]
| colspan="4" |Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment.
|-
|[[Netplay#Genesis.2FMega_Drive_.26_Peripherals|Netplay]]
|{{Na}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA">Exclusive to libretro core version. For widescreen hack use [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/genesis-plus-gx-wide-now-available-for-libretroretroarch/ Genesis Plus GX Wide] core.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{Na}}
|-
|[[RetroAchievements]]
|[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1djp8ro/ares_v139_release/l9ckjp2/ roadmap]||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha" name="libretroRA"></ref>
|-
|Rich Presence (RPC) Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|Screen translator Using optical character recognition (OCR) and other techniques, this feature can provide live translation of in-game text, text-to-speech for visually impaired users, and more — either on demand or automatically.
| colspan="4" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

==Hardware features and peripherals==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.
! colspan="4" |Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
|-
|rowspan="2" |Hardware features
|colspan="3" |Soft & hard reset This is mandatory for ''X-Men''.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="51" |Peripherals
| rowspan="3" |[[#Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X|Console add-ons]]
| colspan="2" |32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na|link=https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/64}}
|{{Ya}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{~}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Experimental support in nightly builds only.</ref>
|-
|colspan="2" |Sega CD 32X
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="16" |Controllers
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Activator Activator]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |BatterUp baseball bat
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Handle Controller & Bike Handle
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Keyboard
|[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Keyboard Mega Drive Keyboard]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Saturn Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|XBAND Keyboard]] Known in brazil as Teclado para Mega Net, even though it only worked on the Mega Net 2.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Light gun
|[https://segaretro.org/The_Justifier Konami Justifier]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|[https://segaretro.org/Menacer Menacer]
|{{Na|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/225}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#MIDI Keyboard|MIDI Keyboard]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[List_of_console_games_that_support_keyboard_and_mouse#Sega_Genesis|Mouse]]
|{{Ya|link=https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/pull/721}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |NordicQuest ski-exerciser
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Graphic_Board#Redesigned_versions Sega Graphic Board]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive) Six Button Control Pad]
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeeVGolf TeeVGolf]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Ten_Key_Pad Ten Key Pad]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XE-1_AP XE-1 AP]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/HeartBeat_Catalyst HeartBeat Catalyst] Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Link-up_cable Link-up cable]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |Modem
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#Sega_Meganet_.28Genesis.29|Mega Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Terminal Mega Terminal]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega_Anser Sega Mega Anser]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="3" |Multitaps
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/4_Way_Play 4 Way Play]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:J-Cart|J-Cart]]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Team_Player Team Player]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Pri_Fun Pri Fun] While the Pri Fun does not directly connect to any video game system, only composite video inputs. two Sega Pico games were designed with it in mind, Petapeta Chokkin Asoberu Zukan: Doubutsu and Sanrio Festival Tanoshii Card-dzukuri, which can render “printer friendly” graphics on-screen (in Sanrio Festival's case, greeting card templates). Neither game technically requires the Pri Fun to function.
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|rowspan="2" |Sega CD only
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/CD_BackUp_RAM_Cart CD Backup RAM Cart] Official cart=1MB, Maximum allowed by the system=4MB, Some RPGs used this for memory, as there was often not enough space for the save files in the internal backup RAM. In the case of Shining Force CD, this cartridge allows the player to unlock the last story segment of the game, inaccessible without the backup cart due to the Sega CD's internal memory limitations.
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega-CD_Karaoke Mega-CD Karaoke]
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="7" |Special cartridges
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Net Mega Net]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/XB∀ND#Brazil Mega Net 2] Merely a brazilian portugese version of the XBAND Modem, but it is still worth mentioning.||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Power_Base_Converter Power Base Converter] System Converter in Europe.
|{{Na}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Channel Sega Channel]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Lock-On|Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On]]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/TeleBradesco_Residência TeleBradesco Residência]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Early_online_services#XBAND_Modem_.28Multi_Platform.29|XBAND Modem]]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/StuntMaster StuntMaster]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="13" |Unlicensed/unreleased
|colspan="2" |Action Replay
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/B16_Dance_Mat B16 Dance Mat]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Edge_16 Edge 16]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[3DO]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Drive_Floppy_Disk_Drive Floppy Disk Drive]||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |Game Genie
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Game_Wizard Game Wizard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Genipak Genipak]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Magicard Magicard]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Mega_Play_1010 Mega Play 1010]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://gamehistory.org/segavr/ Sega VR]
| colspan="4" |Only possible with [https://github.com/DickBlackshack/SegaVR-DGenSDL SegaVR-DGenSDL] emulator.
|-
| colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Smash_Controller Smash Controller]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Teleplay_System Teleplay System]<ref group="lower-alpha">This modem was going to support [[cross-play]] between [[NES]], [[SNES]] and Sega Genesis.</ref>
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
|colspan="2" |[https://segaretro.org/Video_Jukebox Video Jukebox]
|{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="10" |Misc.
| colspan="3" |[[wikipedia:Hot_swapping#Gaming|Cartridge hot swapping]] It was sometimes possible to apply cheats (such as a player having infinite lives) and other temporary software alterations to games by hot swapping cartridges, even though the cartridges were not designed to be hot swappable.
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[http://www.thealmightyguru.com/Wiki/index.php?title=Cartridge_tilting Cartridge tilting] Cartridge tilting is an action performed on cartridge-based systems to create otherwise impossible glitches. Cartridge tilting is not a glitch, but rather the process which creates glitches.<ref name="Tilt" group="lower-alpha">{{YouTubePlaylist|PLkAqx5EV7l_DkwOv4WmVEBLv39WPEUm3d|Cart Tilt Showcase Playlist}}</ref>
| colspan="4" |There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Demo_System_DS-16 Demo System DS-16]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |Homebrew cartridge mappers
| colspan="2" |''Paprium'' mapper
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}<ref group="lower-alpha">Requires the RetroArch core.</ref>
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="2" |''Pier Solar'' mapper
|{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[#Modes|Homebrew modes]]
| colspan="2" |[[#Extended_VRAM|Extended VRAM]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|-
| colspan="2" |[[#Mega_Drive.2FGenesis_Plus.2FMSU-MD|MSU]]
|{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Puzzle_Construction Hybrid processing] A title designed for use in the Teradrive, Puzzle Construction allows uses to “construct” their own puzzles. Construction uses the IBM PC side of the system, but playing the game activates the Mega Drive side.||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Na}}
|-
| colspan="3" |[https://segaretro.org/Sega_Virtua_Processor Sega Virtua Processor]||{{Dunno}}||{{Ya}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{WIP-Box}}
|-
| colspan="3" |YM2612/ASIC YM3438/GOAC YM3438 audio chip switch<ref group="lower-alpha">See [https://forums.sonicretro.org/threads/genesis-mega-drive-sound-chip-comparisons.41312/ this]</ref>||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha"/>

===Lock-on===
Lock-On Technology is a unique feature found on Sonic & Knuckles cartridges for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis that allows a player to connect an older game to the cartridge's pass-through port for extended or altered gameplay.

* With Sonic 3: Completes the game, and adds the Sonic and Knuckles levels as intended. This was the original usage.
* With Sonic 2: Unlocks an alternate version of Sonic 2 with playable Knuckles.
* With Sonic 1: Unlocks the Blue Sphere minigame with a level select for all possible levels.

The Sonic & Knuckles cartridge can lock-on to other cartridges:

* Smaller than 2MB: Will play a single random level from the Blue Sphere minigame generated from data in the header.
* Bigger than 2MB: Will boot to Sonic & Knuckles.
* Has Battery Pack: All saved data will be wiped out.

Most emulators don't support Lock-On save for Genesis Plus GX, but there are pre-combined ROMs for the Sonic trilogy available online that can be played as a regular Megadrive ROM on any emulator and still work. The '''[https://www.s3complete.org Sonic 3 Complete romhack]''' also achieves the same purpose.

Genesis Plus GX's [[RetroArch]] core includes true Lock-On emulation. From the Core Options menu, you can enable the Lock-On feature for either Sonic & Knuckles, Game Genie, or the Action Replay (Pro) -- the latter two using a different technology but with similar effects. Setting this option to anything other than "Off" will enable Lock-on to the cartridge you're currently playing as. After resetting, the game will boot in Lock-On mode.

The following files need to be under the directory for BIOS files (usually "system"):
* sk.bin (Sonic & Knuckles (2 MiB) ROM)
* sk2chip.bin (Sonic & Knuckles UPMEM (256 KiB) ROM): If you can't find it online, extract it with a hex editor from a pre-combined Sonic 2 & Knuckles ROM from offset 00300000 to the end of the ROM.

For GG/AR, the files needed are areplay.bin and ggenie.bin, but most emulators support cheat codes from these natively.

BlastEm also supports the Lock-On Technology for Sonic 3, except when combined with Sonic 2, as it does not support lock-on with the sk2chip.bin.

===MIDI Keyboard===
MIDI keyboards are used in two special cartridges: ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'', released only in the US, and ''Wonder MIDI'', released only in Japan and requires a Model 1 Wondermega (either RG-M1 or HWM-5000) to operate. While MIDI keyboards can be operated with ''MPTS'' as usual, ''Wonder MIDI'' also requires a special disc from the [[wikipedia:ja:CD-MIDI|CD-MIDI]] standard to be inserted, as the software itself is not capable to do interactions with the soundchips of both Mega Drive and Mega-CD.

:[[Wikipedia:Miracle_Piano_Teaching_System|Info on ''Miracle Piano Teaching System'' in general]]
:[https://segaretro.org/Wonder_MIDI Info on ''Wonder MIDI'']

===Modes===

====Extended VRAM====

A 128KB VDP mode from TeraDrive, an IBM PC/Mega Drive combo used on several Teradrive-only software.<ref>https://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1368</ref>

BlastEm has partial support for this mode since version 0.5.0.

====Mega Drive/Genesis Plus/MSU-MD====

The Mega Drive/Genesis Plus (sometimes abbreviated as MD+) is a special mode for certain Genesis games that use enhanced CDDA tracks with a Sega CD. This was not used in any official games, however, the mode itself was first used in the first batch of Pier Solar releases. This feature was been [https://downloads.terraonion.com/public/MegaSD_DEV_Manual.pdf documented] to be used on Terraonion's Mega SD flash cartridge, to give similar effects for Genesis games in a way that [https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System_emulators#:~:text=Misc. MSU-1 does in patched SNES games]. Another variant was been made for [https://krikzz.com/store/home/59-mega-everdrive-pro.html Mega Everdrive PRO], named [https://github.com/krikzz/msu-md MSU-MD].

Currently, only Genesis Plus GX supports both modes as mentioned [https://github.com/ekeeke/Genesis-Plus-GX/issues/297#issuecomment-918468508 here], while Kega Fusion supports games that can only run in MSU-MD mode. [https://github.com/irixxxx/picodrive irixxxx's fork] of PicoDrive is also starting to add support for MD+.

A variant called 32X Plus (abbreviated as 32X+) made exclusively for Sega 32X games also exists, but again, it is only used by homebrew software, such as ''Doom 32X Resurrection.''

===Sega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X===
:Sega Retro: [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD Mega CD], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_32X 32X], [https://segaretro.org/Sega_Mega-CD_32X CD 32X].
The Sega Mega CD, 32X, and Sega CD 32X were add-ons for the Sega Genesis that expanded its capabilities with Mega CD-ROM playback (It can also play Audio CDs and CD+G discs), enhanced processing power, and a limited library of CD-based games with 32X functionality.

*[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1ay6fm1/ares_v136_released/krslaki/Ares supports CD+G images.]
*See [[Home_media_players#Emulators|this dedicated page]] for more information about home media playback support for emulation softwares.
*See [[Ripping games]].

==Hardware variations==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"
! colspan=2 | Name
! ares
! Genesis Plus GX
! PicoDrive
! BlastEm
! FinalBurn Neo
|-
| rowspan=3 | [[#Arcade|Arcade]]
| Mega Play
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| Mega-Tech
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| System C-2
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Ya}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Firecore|Firecore]]
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
| colspan=2 | [[#Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)|PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)]]
|{{Ya}}||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}||{{Na}}||{{Na}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | Pico
|[[#Yamaha Copera|Copera]]||{{Na}} Startup screen works, but when getting into the game, the emulator crashes.||{{Dunno}}
|{{Dunno}}||{{~}}||{{Dunno}}
|-
|[[#Pico|Pico]]
|{{~}} Basic emulation works fine, but all inputs and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.||{{~}} Basic emulation, and the drawing pad and magic pen (stylus) work, but storyware features and NEC μPD7759 are not yet implemented.
|{{Ya}} The magic pen (stylus) cannot be emulated using a mouse or touchscreen.||{{Ya}}||{{Dunno}}
|}
<references group="lower-alpha" />

===[https://karmic128.neocities.org/sgflashback/ Firecore]===
Firecore is a system-on-a-chip clone hardware based on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive system, originating in the late 2000s. Most emulators have not been tested with Firecore-enhanced titles, however it is unlikely that they are supported.

*Emulation of this clone is possible with the [https://github.com/karmic64/Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone Genesis-Plus-GX-Cyclone] fork.
*There is also preliminary [https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/sega/mdconsole.cpp#L1030C103-L1030C103 MAME support] but it currently has a "MACHINE_NOT_WORKING" flag.

===Sega Nomad / Genesis Nomad===
Placeholder Text

===[[Sega Pico]]===
PicoDrive, KEGA Fusion and MAME support this hardware. There is a [https://github.com/ares-emulator/ares/issues/833 feature request] for ares.
:[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?software_list_name=pico&compatibility= MAME {{MAMEVer}} compatibility list]

:See [[Sega Pico|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===[[Sega Pico#Yamaha Copera|Yamaha Copera]]===
:[https://segaretro.org/Copera SegaRetro: Copera]
[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1b9le3j/blastem_062_wip_08032024/ The latest BlastEm emulator nightly builds introduce preliminary support for Yamaha Copera emulation.]

:See [[Sega Pico#Advanced Pico Beena|the dedicated page]] for more information.

===Sega PAC (PAC-S10/PAC-S1)===
{{Main|Pioneer LaserActive#Hardware features and peripherals}}
The attachable player addon to [[Pioneer LaserActive]] which lets it play standard cartridges, Sega Mega CDs and its own exclusive Sega Mega-LD games ([[LaserDisc]] format used for games featuring analog video background and digital in-game graphics; they need this special player hardware).

===Arcade===
Sega released three arcade boards based on Genesis/Mega Drive hardware:
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=707 Mega Play]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=706 Mega-Tech]
* [http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=705 System C-2]

In addition, several Genesis games were converted to standalone arcade machines, either with or without a license from Sega.

MAME supports these arcade boards.

{{MAMEVer}} version compatibility status: [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megaplay.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega Play], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=megatech.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 Mega-Tech], [http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mame.php?game_sourcefile=segac2.cpp&arcade_only=0&current_version=0 System C/C-2].

==External links==
* [http://wiki.megadrive.org/index.php?title=Main_Page MegaDrive Development Wiki] - A Wiki about every technical aspect of the SEGA MegaDrive hardware and software. It aims to provide the most detailed, accurate, and up-to-date information, to help homebrew development and repairs.
* [http://segaretro.org/Category:Mega_Drive_emulators Mega Drive emulators] on Sega Retro
* [https://archive.org/details/sega_genesis_library ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Sega Genesis]
{{Sega}}

[[Category:Sega Genesis| ]]

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