Virtua Fighter, Star Wars Arcade, Mortal Kombat II, and Primal Rage. Are the reasons why I still keep my 32X. Not to mention I got 32X at clearance for $3 back in 1997.
Back in the day I had a special, extra long, SEGA branded surge protector which was specially designed for the 3 plugs for the "tower of power." Probably would be a collector's item now if I'd held onto it.
Sega 32X Doom Resurrection is amazing. Doom 32X is ok. You should do a video on Doom Resurrection. It improves the original in so many ways. I play 32X on my hacked WiiU.
Cool! Yes, the Resurrection version is MUCH better than the original. But I think the original gets malighed a bit too much in retro circles. Every seen the 3DO version? I love the 3DO, and I'd MUCH rather play the 32X version of the game.
Now we just need Doom Resurrection for the CD32X, so we can have that 3DO OST as an audio option for the ultimate Tower of Power version of Doom. 😆 Of course, with modern memory capacities, you don't really need the CD, but it's an aesthetic thing.
Thanks for this video. A lot of people write off the 32X as a bad system outright. I bought the system because I was naive and believed that a Genesis equiped with a 32X and a Sega CD was the equivalent to a Sega Saturn. Coming from a computer background, I just thought it was cheaper to upgrade. Well it didn't quite turn out that way, but I had a little bit of fun with it. I had Afterburner Complete, Doom, Space Harrier, Star Wars Arcade, and Virtua Fighter. For awhile, this was the only way I was able to play Doom
Those games are great! And the 32X actually has two of the same processors in it as the Saturn. I figure any retro console with at least 5-10 games that are worthy is worth collecting. I think the "attach rate", or manufacturer expectation of how many games it'd take them to break even on a console sale, averaged around seven games back in the day.
I got one on it's release day. Unfortunately the hardware was never given a chance to mature before it was cancelled. I have one today with the video noise fix, new internal ribbon cables and caps. I think it's always been an oddball mushroom of awesomeness.
Finally someone who appreciates this modular console. I love the SEGA 32X and it’s a shame it’s full potential was never realized. Imagine if like the mythical Castlevania V or a Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy game was on 32X like say Dragon Quest IV, V, or VI, that would have been so awesome! These are my top ten Sega 32X games from ten to one: X. Virtua Racing Deluxe IX. Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure VIII. Virtua Fighter VII. Metal Head VI. After Burner Complete V. Kolibri IV. DOOM III. Blackthorne II. Space Harrier I. Knuckles Chaotix I admit I’m not much of a Star Wars fan so Star Wars Arcade didn’t interest me too much nor did Tempo, but I also haven’t played DOOM 32X Resurrection. I will someday in which case would probably put it as #3 or even #2 on that list.
This is a great list of 32X games you've compiled! About DOOM: it gets maligned a lot on the 32X. But have you ever seen the 3DO version? It should have been epic. But it's a horror show - and not in a good way. I love the 3DO, and I'd MUCH rather play the 32X version.
Pitfall?!? Wow! That's a odd choice since the 32X game often gets ripped as a bad port. I have the game myself and never knew of its flaws, I just found it to be a fun and hard game back then. I still think it's a fun game.
A system with such strong potential for arcade ports. Virtua Racing Deluxe, MK2, NBA Jam: TE, Star Wars Arcade, and Doom were my most played cart games of all time. I just wish Sega released the all in one!
THANK YOU!!! I LOVE my 32X and have been a 32X fanboy ever since first buying mine in August 2001. I love it because it had SO MUCH potential, and I feel like it was a better add-on than the Mega CD (some people within Sega felt the same). I honestly feel like it would have had more success and third party support (Super Street Fighter II Turbo and Dracula X were rumored to come to the add-on as an example) had Sega at least been able to fulfill the original 1 million USA pre-orders, as opposed to around the 300k - 400k at launch. It sadly ended up selling around only 650k worldwide.
I received a 32x for Christmas the year it came out. The only games i ended up owning was Doom and MK2. I played them constantly. No regrets. I ended up with a PS 2 years later so i never felt like i missed anything
Agreed. I worked at Babbage's (now GameStop) back when the 32X was on shelves. And I never bought one back then either, even though I owned a Genesis. I'm glad I finally got one down the road, some great games made it onto the platform.
Fully integrated the sh2 could have used the genesis graphics chips. While at it: give them more colors for colorful backgrounds. With add-on solution a developer better uses their time to hand optimize sh2 assembly than to incorporate genesis chips
I remember making two different trips to get extra cables and surge protectors for the 32X CD, television, and speakers. Another reason why SEGA should've just put their marketing and development resources into the Sega CD alone.
I believe we are EXTREMELY lucky the 32X came out. I discovered its game library on the late and despite not having much nostalgia for it, it’s an integral part of the Genesis that I could not part with anymore.😄
Great Video! I never had 32x back in the day. The difference is a lot more than i expected. It was also fun to learn about some of the games! Thanks, you're awesome!🎮🕹👍
I got one of these on clearance for like $20 from Kay B Toy Store after the system was officially discontinued, and I had fun with the games I managed to find for cheap like Virtua Racing and Knuckles Chaotix, but I basically just bought the add-on for Doom. My family didn't have a PC until the early 2000s, and the only consoles that could actually run Doom back then were expensive high-end ones like the 3DO, so the idea of actually having the game at home was like a dream come true for me and certainly seemed worth $20 for the add-on and $20 for Doom. I never bothered checking out many of the other 32X games because they either weren't available in any of the stores where I bought games, or they looked extraordinarily unimpressive to me. I mean, look at ports like Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, Primal Rage, or Mortal Kombat II - they only look negligibly enhanced compared to the original. Especially with the latter two games, there's no reason they couldn't have been much closer to the arcade original than to the 16 bit conversions. In any case, the 32X served its purpose to me until Doom was released on the SNES. Come to think of it, I actually didn't get to play a fully functional uncut version of Doom at home until I played it on an emulator on a Dreamcast a few years later.
Thank you for sharing your memories of the 32X! Doom was so incredibly popular back in the 90s. Still has a great following today. Glad you have been able to enjoy it over the years!
I also got a 32X late and was at the store looking to get a game, saw Doom and thought okay, easy choice. I'm walking to the register and a guy (I don't remember if he was just another customer or worked at the store) saw I had Doom and tells me what a terrible port it is, bla blah blah. I don't know any better so I take his word for it, thank him, put Doom back on the shelf and instead end up getting Cosmic f ing Carnage!!! I now curse that guy in my thoughts. Doom may not have been the best port but I would have had a blast.
@@francescosmith7859 Oh man, that's really funny! It kinda makes me wonder if that guy was trolling you, because Cosmic Carnage was a notoriously bad game that I've never heard anyone actually defend. It'd be messed up if that turned out to be a store employee who'd been instructed by management to suggestive-sell that game to unload some unsold copies.The only halfway cool thing about that game was the Samurai Shodown-style scaling effect, and that was badly implemented anyway. Don't feel bad though, because I owned a copy back then too - though that was cuz copies of it were a dime a dozen after the game got horrible reviews and failed to sell.
I would love to see some new games for the 32X. Modern game developers have largely shunned it, but I think that there are enough 32X owners out there to support development for new games.
I don't agree with the component video thing. Many games were designed with component video, heck even RF, in mind. The pixelated look was often meant to blend colors. Other than that, thanks for the video :). Loved it :) . Also one more tip: the 32X can't do PCM, it does PWM signals 2 of them :). The Megadrive can do PCM, depending on your software driver you can do multichannel PCM mixing on the 6th FM channel, so with a whole 32 Bit SH2 behind it (2 of them) there is enough power to mix enough channels to gain arcade perfect music. But keep in mind modern Z80a drivers of the Megadrive also do at least 4 PCM channels, the limit is more memory space related (on cart) than limits of the Megadrive sound wise. Samples take up more space than FM patches :P .
The port of Virtua Racing for the 32X in my humble opinion is the best version of the game....even better than the Saturn. The controls are fantastic. It's just a joy to play this game. I think the 32X is worth it just for this game and perhaps Space Harrier and Afterburner. Just awesome titles.
I consider myself an avid 32X fan. The system was meant to compete against the SNES and its SuperFX Chip. And even though it did not succeed well, it still accomplished the job it was made for. I mean, the 3D graphics are vastly superior to those of the SuperFX. And at least it was worth getting, for I am a completest with Gaming consoles like this.
That's very cool! I agree, lots of power under the hood of the 32X. It's great that the power is in the add-on rather than each individual cart as well.
COMMENTARY: This really means a lot to me,the Genesis 32X is the most misunderstood console add-on the internet has ever been so harsh to. ⭕️ SPECULATION: In a last-ditch effort,Sega made the 32X to increase sales higher than the SNES,then that CD add-on instead became the PlayStation.
This is an excellent video. No one really thinks that the 32X is worth it nowadays around me and I can't convince my friends that this is a cool piece of hardware lol. They're a bit expensive now, but in recent months it looks like those prices are starting to get lower so it's more readily available for more people. I love some of the titles on the 32X and I think its a shame that people didn't think twice when judging it.
Thank you! I hope those prices come down soon also. It would be great to see more gamers get the add-on for their Genesis. Some neat, console-specific titles out there for it!
@@Forever8Bit Yeah most of the 32X library has some awesome titles. It’s a shame that it had such a small amount of time on the market and limited support.
@@buckroger6456 Yes I meant the 32X console itself is getting cheaper. I’d use a flash art which supports the 32X if you have one already, but those are very hard to come by because of what’s happening in Ukraine, at least with everdrives
Thank you! I know the 32X isn't everyone's favorite. Sales numbers are relative to the era and the competition also. I think Sega sold around 800,000 32X units. Huge flop when compared to competitors of the era. BUt I've never sold 800,000 of something, so I have to respect their achievement.
I remain unconvinced that the 32x is worthwhile, however I literally bought a recapped + videos noise fixed + deoxit ribbon cable fixed 32x just yesterday. Once I get it in the mail, then I'll see how I feel about it. But this video did kind of hype me up a little. 😅
32X uses PWM for audio. It has two PWM channels (1 for left and 1 for right stereo). Audio is done entirely in software (which is then output via the PWM channels) and can mix with Genesis audio.
I immediately paused the video and ordered one of those all in one power supplies when you showed, lol I've been needing something like that for decades lol
Think it was either K-Mart or Walmart where I got my 32X from for $20 back in 90's just before I got the Sega Saturn and I had the system for many years and didn't get any titles for it until 2013 when I got WWF Raw and Virtua Racing for it. I wanted to get more games for it but the prices were too high and back in the 90's I literally couldn't find any games in stock even when going to Funcoland. 😵 Thankfully the Everdrive carts came along and I could finally get more games for it. Also it's true the 32X shares some chipsets with the Saturn but the difference is they're not as fast as Saturn's chipset and it lacks a number of the hardware features the Saturn can pull off like sprite scaling while 32X has to do that in software.
Wow! That's really cool to have your original from back in the day. I wonder if the 32X had launched a year or two earlier if its fate might have been different.
@@Forever8Bit A two year window could have helped it along with having native hardware support for the things that the SCD supported like sprite scaling instead of having to do it in software. if the system could have properly made full use of the much higher color and sound options, too then it would've had some of the best home 2D 32-bit graphics around at the time and maybe even games like Super Street Fighter, TMNT and other titles could have been on it and took advantage of the extra power.
The 32x is a symbol of the great division that was at Sega in the early 90s...instead of the whole company pulling in one direction like they did in 1987 for the Genesis, there was civil war brewing in the firm..and so this idea of the 32x being a bridge to the saturn was a foolish idea..
No doubt. And that divisiveness carried over into the Saturn launch. And when Sony mic dropped that $299 price for the PS1, the writing was on the wall.
I always liked the 32x i thought it was neat and really wanted to own one back in the day but they were to expensive for my 12 year old self, i know the 32x and maybe even the mega cd were gaming failures but i liked that sega did addons like this it kept the games market interesting, i remember talk of a saturn upgrade card once that went into the expansion port at the back to make it more powerful so it could run virtua fighter 3 and other model 3 games, sadly it was canned, would of been interesting to of seen another addon.
So would I. It's an underrated piece of kit. I think it actually has very similar hardware internally when compared to the Sega Saturn. Not the same, but similar, minus the 16-bit bottleneck at the Genesis.
@@Forever8Bit There has to be a way, for a game to have been made using the best of the three, without much comprised, is it possible to make a game, that has sega cd sound, 32x scaling and rotation without overheating the genisis. I have got to find out
My 32x doesn't work with my Everdrive anymore. It will play whatever game is already flashed to the cart but if I try to load another game it comes up with an error message. The Everdrive still works fine when the 32x is removed and I just use the Genesis. Any ideas? I have cleaned all the slots and tried the 32x on multiple consoles with the same result. Any help would really be appreciated. 32x runs normal carts perfectly.
They should have released the Neptune and/or called it Saturn instead of the Saturn because it was compatible awith 32X games. Having the current Saturn and 32X when it was released was probably SEGA's down fall. Because most people are not rich.
I thought it was a great idea until i saw the games running. Was expecting another jump in graphics and sound like we saw from 8 to 16-bit consoles. Unfortunately (imo) that didn't happen.
32x was so worthless in my neighborhood, 2 people gave me theirs, free. With games. I bought my own for about 60 bucks. So much potential, so little fun. F U, 32x ! I would like to see what the independent / demo / homebrew scene does with this, however.
There are some homebrews out there, albeit in small quantities. I think progress is being made with better understanding the chipsets in the little mushroom though, so eager to see what comes up as well.
I feel weird about the 32X. I'm a fan. I have American and Japanese units. That said, I would never recommend it to others. It does a have a very small handful of exclusives, and is my favorite way to play Space Harrier, but many of its best games can be had cheaper and/or better elsewhere. Exclusives like Knuckles Chaotix, Kolibri, Tempo, Shadow Squadron, and Star Wars are solid enough, but nothing that is going to wow a friend enough to make them want one (especially at the price), and others like Doom, After Burner, Vitua Fighter, and Virtua Racing just have better versions available on more common hardware that has a broader library. I liken it to the Jaguar CD, CD-i, and PC-FX. I get my friends to play them so they can see what it's all about, but I wouldn't recommend that they spend the money, and instead just indulge their curiosity at my house, and save their money for things from which they'll get more mileage. I did enjoy the video, though!
I actually have a whole alternate history scenario about how the 32X could have prevailed in the console wars. Was beginning to think I was the only one who saw anything in this thing!
There's some serious power under the hood. Largely the same chips as later came out in the Saturn. So much potential and some great games that actually made it to market.
@@Forever8Bit Definitely! Hardware wise, it's basically some RAM and a faster chip variant away from being a Saturn, broadly speaking. Had it been given a slightly longer development cycle, rather than being rushed for a 1994 launch, I bet it could have been comparable, and much cheaper than the competition.
@@ArneChristianRosenfeldt The problem is that the 32X was conceived in 1994 and launched in the same year. The development cycle was just about 6 months. PlayStation, on the other hand, had been under low-priority development for _years_ before the Nintendo falling out caused Sony to green-light the project for release. It would have made more sense for Sega to stick with their initial plans for the SVP chip, that being a Sonic & Knuckles-style Lock-On adapter for Super FX-style games, which would have individually been cheaper than Super FX titles. Sadly, that didn't happen, although the 32X is the spiritual successor to that concept. The thing is, with a little extra time to improve the design, I think 32X could have been a contender, and one that could undercut its competitors on cost at that. At launch, 32X was $159, the all-in-one Neptune would have been $199. By comparison, the PlayStation was $299, and the Saturn was $399. The Saturn was a great console, but it was too complex. The architecture was positively byzantine, and it was therefore hard for Sega to bring the cost down due to the shear number of necessary discrete components. By comparison, the Genesis 32X is fairly simple and easy to consolidate. I suspect that by 1996, Sega could have rolled out a cut-price Neptune to meet the Nintendo 64. By then, all the old Genesis customers who would have wanted the add-on likely would have gotten one, and it could be discontinued. The thing is, Sega's market was _always_ lower down the income scale than Nintendo. The SNES was a hit with middle and upper-middle-class families with younger children, but didn't have much reach beyond that demographic. The Genesis was cheaper, and therefore popular with lower-income families, teens buying their first console with their own money, college students, etc. Asking those demographics to fork over _twice_ what they would have paid for a Genesis in 1989 - or much less, given how much the price fell in later years - was never going to work. PlayStation stole the markets Sega had cultivated by being cheaper, easier to develop for and easier to release on than the Saturn. The 32X would not have put Sega in 1st place. However, it would have kept Sony from completely dominating Sega's market niche, probably leaving the company in better shape going into the Dreamcast era. 32X may not have been a technological powerhouse, but it could have held its own with more polished software and access to the Genesis library. Sega's focus on arcade-style titles would have fit the system far better than it did the Saturn.
@@autofox1744 I just read that hitachi had their SH1 SH2 thing already produced. Development for that started in 1986. It was a surprise that at least SEGA looked at the new CPU design. It is a classical home computer architecture with lots of RAM like the Jaguar, Amiga, Archimedes. Nothing needs to be developed. Commodore could not get chunked or hicolor memory to work on cd32. Probably SEGA 32x was likewise held back by compatibility. I mean, I don’t get it. Just mix the PCM channel with the genesis audio and add one more playfield in the PPU to insert the framebuffer. Probably nobody in Japan wanted to invest in the dead end 2d PPU . The 32x can’t even do f zero at that resolution and framerate. I wouldn’t want to release something Nintendo can, but Sega can’t.
Sega made an overpriced horizontal serge protector for the tower of power. I just used a surge protector and one three way extension chord back in the day. CD and 32x in the extension chord and TV and Genesis in the surge protector.
2 other 32x games you gotta play are Kolibri and Doom. [the new version, Doom Resurrection is a lot better, but i always enjoyed the original version]. WAY better than the snes version.
This video is just terribl.......y GREAT! I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. Your content is always upbeat and positive which is a change from many of the other retro channels that always find a way to go negative about something. I don't think there really is much to be negative about in retro gaming. It's never been easier to get into retro gaming. We have reached a point that most consoles can be fully emulates at playable frame rates. Huge companies like Capcom and Konami have been releasing bangers of yester year on multiple current generation consoles. Yes, it has gotten expensive but there are still incredible deals to find if you look and hey, you can always save up for that big ticket game you might want. That's how I started and our collection is massive! We have a ginormous 5th generation and Neo Geo AES/MVS/CDZ collection. I am such an SNK fiend that we have two 4-slot MVS cabs in our living room. ;) Addendum- While we do have a number of 32X titles I am considering blowing it out next. Well...it's between the Jaguar, 3DO, or 32X. I haven't decided yet.
I can't believe Metalhead wasn't mentioned on this list. It's the only 32x game imo that I feel truly defines what the 32x was capable of. Or at least came close to anyway. That system needed more 3D titles badly.
Thanks! I really dig the 32X. It's a great piece of Sega hardware that came too late in the life cycle of the Genny. Some good Saturn-like hardware inside that little mushroom.
I know this will sound total fanboyish, but I think nba jam on the 32x is better than the arcade. I also think it's the best console version overall, but truth be told I haven't played the jaguar version. However, the music is weird on that version so I'll still take the 32x version.
That's cool that you have one and enjoy it! Very similar hardware in there to the Saturn, barring the 16-bit pipeline at the Genesis. A great add-on that could have crused it if it'd hit the market eariler.
Wow! A 100% fail rate really sucks. With the benefit of 2022 information, I wonder if the capacitors were faulty? They seem to be leaky little suckers on some of the Sega products.
@@Forever8BitI have know idea. The first one I bought was at full retail price, the second one was an exchange , and the last one was on clearance at toys r u for twenty dollars. I was only 15 years old so I didn’t know much about electronics. I even had to call the 800 number to hook it up to my tv
Unfortunately, also one of the more likely reasons for sega's poor performance in the West in the 5th gen, and ultimate untimely exit from the hardware industry. 32x was the wrong product at the wrong time. Misguided.
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Virtua Fighter, Star Wars Arcade, Mortal Kombat II, and Primal Rage. Are the reasons why I still keep my 32X. Not to mention I got 32X at clearance for $3 back in 1997.
Don't forget Wrestlemania Arcade Game! 😁
Back in the day I had a special, extra long, SEGA branded surge protector which was specially designed for the 3 plugs for the "tower of power." Probably would be a collector's item now if I'd held onto it.
Yes! I saw one of those recently on another RUclips video about the 32X. Very cool!
Sega 32X Doom Resurrection is amazing. Doom 32X is ok. You should do a video on Doom Resurrection. It improves the original in so many ways. I play 32X on my hacked WiiU.
Cool! Yes, the Resurrection version is MUCH better than the original. But I think the original gets malighed a bit too much in retro circles. Every seen the 3DO version? I love the 3DO, and I'd MUCH rather play the 32X version of the game.
Now we just need Doom Resurrection for the CD32X, so we can have that 3DO OST as an audio option for the ultimate Tower of Power version of Doom. 😆
Of course, with modern memory capacities, you don't really need the CD, but it's an aesthetic thing.
To be honest I know some people might say the music is bad but sometimes you gotta risk music for a better graphics
@@ostiariusalpha isn’t that already a thing?
@@Tarquin23 Not yet, sadly. Just the 32X ROM cartridge has been developed so far.
Thanks for this video. A lot of people write off the 32X as a bad system outright. I bought the system because I was naive and believed that a Genesis equiped with a 32X and a Sega CD was the equivalent to a Sega Saturn. Coming from a computer background, I just thought it was cheaper to upgrade. Well it didn't quite turn out that way, but I had a little bit of fun with it. I had Afterburner Complete, Doom, Space Harrier, Star Wars Arcade, and Virtua Fighter. For awhile, this was the only way I was able to play Doom
Those games are great! And the 32X actually has two of the same processors in it as the Saturn. I figure any retro console with at least 5-10 games that are worthy is worth collecting. I think the "attach rate", or manufacturer expectation of how many games it'd take them to break even on a console sale, averaged around seven games back in the day.
Could of been better if they stayed with it they had too many cheifs infighting and making bad decisions.
SEGA should've used the Silicon Graphics Reality Coporocessor for the addon. 200k polygons per second, and it would look much better than PS1 games.
It wasn't far off. With the sophisticated programming of today, most games would look really close, within 10-15%.
doom is awful on 32x its not even full screen
I got one on it's release day. Unfortunately the hardware was never given a chance to mature before it was cancelled. I have one today with the video noise fix, new internal ribbon cables and caps. I think it's always been an oddball mushroom of awesomeness.
Finally someone who appreciates this modular console. I love the SEGA 32X and it’s a shame it’s full potential was never realized. Imagine if like the mythical Castlevania V or a Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy game was on 32X like say Dragon Quest IV, V, or VI, that would have been so awesome!
These are my top ten Sega 32X games from ten to one:
X. Virtua Racing Deluxe
IX. Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
VIII. Virtua Fighter
VII. Metal Head
VI. After Burner Complete
V. Kolibri
IV. DOOM
III. Blackthorne
II. Space Harrier
I. Knuckles Chaotix
I admit I’m not much of a Star Wars fan so Star Wars Arcade didn’t interest me too much nor did Tempo, but I also haven’t played DOOM 32X Resurrection. I will someday in which case would probably put it as #3 or even #2 on that list.
This is a great list of 32X games you've compiled! About DOOM: it gets maligned a lot on the 32X. But have you ever seen the 3DO version? It should have been epic. But it's a horror show - and not in a good way. I love the 3DO, and I'd MUCH rather play the 32X version.
Pitfall?!? Wow! That's a odd choice since the 32X game often gets ripped as a bad port. I have the game myself and never knew of its flaws, I just found it to be a fun and hard game back then. I still think it's a fun game.
Any system that can pull off Space Harrier is ok in my book but they failed to make many other games that were cool
I love Blackthorne and played it on the SNES as a kid and GBA when I was deployed. I had no idea there was a 32X version. Looks nice.
Awesome! Yes, the SNES version is cool also. A great game all-around.
A system with such strong potential for arcade ports.
Virtua Racing Deluxe, MK2, NBA Jam: TE, Star Wars Arcade, and Doom were my most played cart games of all time. I just wish Sega released the all in one!
It sure was! Those games on your list are great ports indeed. Could have been THE platform of the era for them.
@@Forever8Bit 100% agreed there could have been so many ports a far cheaper alternative to the Neo Geo that rivaled it.
THANK YOU!!! I LOVE my 32X and have been a 32X fanboy ever since first buying mine in August 2001.
I love it because it had SO MUCH potential, and I feel like it was a better add-on than the Mega CD (some people within Sega felt the same).
I honestly feel like it would have had more success and third party support (Super Street Fighter II Turbo and Dracula X were rumored to come to the add-on as an example) had Sega at least been able to fulfill the original 1 million USA pre-orders, as opposed to around the 300k - 400k at launch.
It sadly ended up selling around only 650k worldwide.
I received a 32x for Christmas the year it came out. The only games i ended up owning was Doom and MK2. I played them constantly. No regrets. I ended up with a PS 2 years later so i never felt like i missed anything
What made 32x and consequently Sega fail was that they made it as an add-on. Would have you imagined a world with the mythic "Sega Neptune"
Agreed. I worked at Babbage's (now GameStop) back when the 32X was on shelves. And I never bought one back then either, even though I owned a Genesis. I'm glad I finally got one down the road, some great games made it onto the platform.
Fully integrated the sh2 could have used the genesis graphics chips. While at it: give them more colors for colorful backgrounds. With add-on solution a developer better uses their time to hand optimize sh2 assembly than to incorporate genesis chips
I remember making two different trips to get extra cables and surge protectors for the 32X CD, television, and speakers.
Another reason why SEGA should've just put their marketing and development resources into the Sega CD alone.
I believe we are EXTREMELY lucky the 32X came out. I discovered its game library on the late and despite not having much nostalgia for it, it’s an integral part of the Genesis that I could not part with anymore.😄
Well said! It may have a small library of games, but the ones in the video really are special. Glad you also enjoy it!
Great Video! I never had 32x back in the day. The difference is a lot more than i expected. It was also fun to learn about some of the games! Thanks, you're awesome!🎮🕹👍
Thank you! I'm proud that you enjoyed the video and learned more about the system. :)
Blackthorne is pretty much the only reason I want to buy a 32X haha. I already have it loaded on my Mega Everdrive Pro, waiting to be played!!
The MEP is super nice! Maybe they will come back in stock sometime soon. Almost a must-have for the devoted Sega collector!
Watch those floor traps. Game is hardddd
I can only imagine if they had released an exclusive streets of rage, final fight, street fighter alpha or other killer app.
I got one of these on clearance for like $20 from Kay B Toy Store after the system was officially discontinued, and I had fun with the games I managed to find for cheap like Virtua Racing and Knuckles Chaotix, but I basically just bought the add-on for Doom. My family didn't have a PC until the early 2000s, and the only consoles that could actually run Doom back then were expensive high-end ones like the 3DO, so the idea of actually having the game at home was like a dream come true for me and certainly seemed worth $20 for the add-on and $20 for Doom.
I never bothered checking out many of the other 32X games because they either weren't available in any of the stores where I bought games, or they looked extraordinarily unimpressive to me. I mean, look at ports like Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, Primal Rage, or Mortal Kombat II - they only look negligibly enhanced compared to the original. Especially with the latter two games, there's no reason they couldn't have been much closer to the arcade original than to the 16 bit conversions. In any case, the 32X served its purpose to me until Doom was released on the SNES. Come to think of it, I actually didn't get to play a fully functional uncut version of Doom at home until I played it on an emulator on a Dreamcast a few years later.
Thank you for sharing your memories of the 32X! Doom was so incredibly popular back in the 90s. Still has a great following today. Glad you have been able to enjoy it over the years!
I also got a 32X late and was at the store looking to get a game, saw Doom and thought okay, easy choice. I'm walking to the register and a guy (I don't remember if he was just another customer or worked at the store) saw I had Doom and tells me what a terrible port it is, bla blah blah. I don't know any better so I take his word for it, thank him, put Doom back on the shelf and instead end up getting Cosmic f ing Carnage!!! I now curse that guy in my thoughts. Doom may not have been the best port but I would have had a blast.
@@francescosmith7859 Oh man, that's really funny! It kinda makes me wonder if that guy was trolling you, because Cosmic Carnage was a notoriously bad game that I've never heard anyone actually defend. It'd be messed up if that turned out to be a store employee who'd been instructed by management to suggestive-sell that game to unload some unsold copies.The only halfway cool thing about that game was the Samurai Shodown-style scaling effect, and that was badly implemented anyway.
Don't feel bad though, because I owned a copy back then too - though that was cuz copies of it were a dime a dozen after the game got horrible reviews and failed to sell.
I would love to see some new games for the 32X. Modern game developers have largely shunned it, but I think that there are enough 32X owners out there to support development for new games.
To be fair, retro game developers also shunned it!
I don't agree with the component video thing. Many games were designed with component video, heck even RF, in mind. The pixelated look was often meant to blend colors. Other than that, thanks for the video :). Loved it :) .
Also one more tip: the 32X can't do PCM, it does PWM signals 2 of them :). The Megadrive can do PCM, depending on your software driver you can do multichannel PCM mixing on the 6th FM channel, so with a whole 32 Bit SH2 behind it (2 of them) there is enough power to mix enough channels to gain arcade perfect music.
But keep in mind modern Z80a drivers of the Megadrive also do at least 4 PCM channels, the limit is more memory space related (on cart) than limits of the Megadrive sound wise. Samples take up more space than FM patches :P .
You can really see how the RGB video destroys the dithering effect in the Shadow Squadron footage.
The port of Virtua Racing for the 32X in my humble opinion is the best version of the game....even better than the Saturn. The controls are fantastic. It's just a joy to play this game. I think the 32X is worth it just for this game and perhaps Space Harrier and Afterburner. Just awesome titles.
I consider myself an avid 32X fan. The system was meant to compete against the SNES and its SuperFX Chip. And even though it did not succeed well, it still accomplished the job it was made for. I mean, the 3D graphics are vastly superior to those of the SuperFX. And at least it was worth getting, for I am a completest with Gaming consoles like this.
That's very cool! I agree, lots of power under the hood of the 32X. It's great that the power is in the add-on rather than each individual cart as well.
COMMENTARY: This really means a lot to me,the Genesis 32X is the most misunderstood console add-on the internet has ever been so harsh to. ⭕️
SPECULATION: In a last-ditch effort,Sega made the 32X to increase sales higher than the SNES,then that CD add-on instead became the PlayStation.
This is an excellent video. No one really thinks that the 32X is worth it nowadays around me and I can't convince my friends that this is a cool piece of hardware lol. They're a bit expensive now, but in recent months it looks like those prices are starting to get lower so it's more readily available for more people. I love some of the titles on the 32X and I think its a shame that people didn't think twice when judging it.
Thank you! I hope those prices come down soon also. It would be great to see more gamers get the add-on for their Genesis. Some neat, console-specific titles out there for it!
@@Forever8Bit Yeah most of the 32X library has some awesome titles. It’s a shame that it had such a small amount of time on the market and limited support.
Do you mean the 32X is getting a little cheaper? I'm asking cause I notice that many of the games keep moving up in price.
@@buckroger6456 Yes I meant the 32X console itself is getting cheaper. I’d use a flash art which supports the 32X if you have one already, but those are very hard to come by because of what’s happening in Ukraine, at least with everdrives
I grew up thinking the 32X was Sega's version of Mode7 for the SNES. But it seems to be a little more than that. Great vid!
Sir, you present your case well. I’ll give you that much.
Thank you! I know the 32X isn't everyone's favorite. Sales numbers are relative to the era and the competition also. I think Sega sold around 800,000 32X units. Huge flop when compared to competitors of the era. BUt I've never sold 800,000 of something, so I have to respect their achievement.
I remain unconvinced that the 32x is worthwhile, however I literally bought a recapped + videos noise fixed + deoxit ribbon cable fixed 32x just yesterday.
Once I get it in the mail, then I'll see how I feel about it. But this video did kind of hype me up a little. 😅
32X uses PWM for audio. It has two PWM channels (1 for left and 1 for right stereo). Audio is done entirely in software (which is then output via the PWM channels) and can mix with Genesis audio.
Nicely explained! I love learning new things. :)
@@Forever8Bit Also, loved the video.
I immediately paused the video and ordered one of those all in one power supplies when you showed, lol I've been needing something like that for decades lol
Think it was either K-Mart or Walmart where I got my 32X from for $20 back in 90's just before I got the Sega Saturn and I had the system for many years and didn't get any titles for it until 2013 when I got WWF Raw and Virtua Racing for it. I wanted to get more games for it but the prices were too high and back in the 90's I literally couldn't find any games in stock even when going to Funcoland. 😵
Thankfully the Everdrive carts came along and I could finally get more games for it.
Also it's true the 32X shares some chipsets with the Saturn but the difference is they're not as fast as Saturn's chipset and it lacks a number of the hardware features the Saturn can pull off like sprite scaling while 32X has to do that in software.
Wow! That's really cool to have your original from back in the day. I wonder if the 32X had launched a year or two earlier if its fate might have been different.
@@Forever8Bit A two year window could have helped it along with having native hardware support for the things that the SCD supported like sprite scaling instead of having to do it in software. if the system could have properly made full use of the much higher color and sound options, too then it would've had some of the best home 2D 32-bit graphics around at the time and maybe even games like Super Street Fighter, TMNT and other titles could have been on it and took advantage of the extra power.
The 32x is a symbol of the great division that was at Sega in the early 90s...instead of the whole company pulling in one direction like they did in 1987 for the Genesis, there was civil war brewing in the firm..and so this idea of the 32x being a bridge to the saturn was a foolish idea..
No doubt. And that divisiveness carried over into the Saturn launch. And when Sony mic dropped that $299 price for the PS1, the writing was on the wall.
I always liked the 32x i thought it was neat and really wanted to own one back in the day but they were to expensive for my 12 year old self, i know the 32x and maybe even the mega cd were gaming failures but i liked that sega did addons like this it kept the games market interesting, i remember talk of a saturn upgrade card once that went into the expansion port at the back to make it more powerful so it could run virtua fighter 3 and other model 3 games, sadly it was canned, would of been interesting to of seen another addon.
There's some real power in that little mushroom. Some of the same chps that made it into the Saturn. Nice to see it getting some love these days.
Be interesting to see something that pushes the 32x Mega CD combination to the limits.
I would pay full price for new 32x games
So would I. It's an underrated piece of kit. I think it actually has very similar hardware internally when compared to the Sega Saturn. Not the same, but similar, minus the 16-bit bottleneck at the Genesis.
@@Forever8Bit There has to be a way, for a game to have been made using the best of the three, without much comprised, is it possible to make a game, that has sega cd sound, 32x scaling and rotation without overheating the genisis. I have got to find out
My 32x doesn't work with my Everdrive anymore. It will play whatever game is already flashed to the cart but if I try to load another game it comes up with an error message. The Everdrive still works fine when the 32x is removed and I just use the Genesis. Any ideas?
I have cleaned all the slots and tried the 32x on multiple consoles with the same result. Any help would really be appreciated. 32x runs normal carts perfectly.
This power supply almost is better than sliced bread :)
Sure is! And I like sliced bread! 🤣
They should have released the Neptune and/or called it Saturn instead of the Saturn because it was compatible awith 32X games. Having the current Saturn and 32X when it was released was probably SEGA's down fall. Because most people are not rich.
I thought it was a great idea until i saw the games running. Was expecting another jump in graphics and sound like we saw from 8 to 16-bit consoles. Unfortunately (imo) that didn't happen.
@neb6 -idk how else to explain it. The 32x didn't wow me like the Genesis and TurboGrafx did when they came out.
32x was so worthless in my neighborhood, 2 people gave me theirs, free. With games. I bought my own for about 60 bucks. So much potential, so little fun.
F U, 32x !
I would like to see what the independent / demo / homebrew scene does with this, however.
There are some homebrews out there, albeit in small quantities. I think progress is being made with better understanding the chipsets in the little mushroom though, so eager to see what comes up as well.
Make part 2 with some of the other games
I feel weird about the 32X. I'm a fan. I have American and Japanese units. That said, I would never recommend it to others. It does a have a very small handful of exclusives, and is my favorite way to play Space Harrier, but many of its best games can be had cheaper and/or better elsewhere. Exclusives like Knuckles Chaotix, Kolibri, Tempo, Shadow Squadron, and Star Wars are solid enough, but nothing that is going to wow a friend enough to make them want one (especially at the price), and others like Doom, After Burner, Vitua Fighter, and Virtua Racing just have better versions available on more common hardware that has a broader library.
I liken it to the Jaguar CD, CD-i, and PC-FX. I get my friends to play them so they can see what it's all about, but I wouldn't recommend that they spend the money, and instead just indulge their curiosity at my house, and save their money for things from which they'll get more mileage.
I did enjoy the video, though!
Dude, it aint that I dont want one but they are crazy expensive! 😣 Love the virtua games on that machine!!
Overall a great list…I would add T-Mek by Atari. I believe the 32X was only way to play this great game on a home console.
That's a killer game, indeed! The 32X really doesn't get the love it deserves.
I actually have a whole alternate history scenario about how the 32X could have prevailed in the console wars. Was beginning to think I was the only one who saw anything in this thing!
There's some serious power under the hood. Largely the same chips as later came out in the Saturn. So much potential and some great games that actually made it to market.
@@Forever8Bit Definitely! Hardware wise, it's basically some RAM and a faster chip variant away from being a Saturn, broadly speaking. Had it been given a slightly longer development cycle, rather than being rushed for a 1994 launch, I bet it could have been comparable, and much cheaper than the competition.
@@autofox1744 Sony managed to release the PlayStation in 1994 without a rush. 32x should have appeared in 1993 together with 3do, Jaguar, and SuperFx
@@ArneChristianRosenfeldt The problem is that the 32X was conceived in 1994 and launched in the same year. The development cycle was just about 6 months. PlayStation, on the other hand, had been under low-priority development for _years_ before the Nintendo falling out caused Sony to green-light the project for release.
It would have made more sense for Sega to stick with their initial plans for the SVP chip, that being a Sonic & Knuckles-style Lock-On adapter for Super FX-style games, which would have individually been cheaper than Super FX titles. Sadly, that didn't happen, although the 32X is the spiritual successor to that concept.
The thing is, with a little extra time to improve the design, I think 32X could have been a contender, and one that could undercut its competitors on cost at that. At launch, 32X was $159, the all-in-one Neptune would have been $199. By comparison, the PlayStation was $299, and the Saturn was $399.
The Saturn was a great console, but it was too complex. The architecture was positively byzantine, and it was therefore hard for Sega to bring the cost down due to the shear number of necessary discrete components. By comparison, the Genesis 32X is fairly simple and easy to consolidate. I suspect that by 1996, Sega could have rolled out a cut-price Neptune to meet the Nintendo 64. By then, all the old Genesis customers who would have wanted the add-on likely would have gotten one, and it could be discontinued.
The thing is, Sega's market was _always_ lower down the income scale than Nintendo. The SNES was a hit with middle and upper-middle-class families with younger children, but didn't have much reach beyond that demographic. The Genesis was cheaper, and therefore popular with lower-income families, teens buying their first console with their own money, college students, etc. Asking those demographics to fork over _twice_ what they would have paid for a Genesis in 1989 - or much less, given how much the price fell in later years - was never going to work. PlayStation stole the markets Sega had cultivated by being cheaper, easier to develop for and easier to release on than the Saturn.
The 32X would not have put Sega in 1st place. However, it would have kept Sony from completely dominating Sega's market niche, probably leaving the company in better shape going into the Dreamcast era. 32X may not have been a technological powerhouse, but it could have held its own with more polished software and access to the Genesis library. Sega's focus on arcade-style titles would have fit the system far better than it did the Saturn.
@@autofox1744 I just read that hitachi had their SH1 SH2 thing already produced. Development for that started in 1986. It was a surprise that at least SEGA looked at the new CPU design. It is a classical home computer architecture with lots of RAM like the Jaguar, Amiga, Archimedes. Nothing needs to be developed.
Commodore could not get chunked or hicolor memory to work on cd32. Probably SEGA 32x was likewise held back by compatibility.
I mean, I don’t get it. Just mix the PCM channel with the genesis audio and add one more playfield in the PPU to insert the framebuffer.
Probably nobody in Japan wanted to invest in the dead end 2d PPU .
The 32x can’t even do f zero at that resolution and framerate. I wouldn’t want to release something Nintendo can, but Sega can’t.
Sega made an overpriced horizontal serge protector for the tower of power. I just used a surge protector and one three way extension chord back in the day. CD and 32x in the extension chord and TV and Genesis in the surge protector.
really nice video man! just found your channel and subbed
Thank you! So glad you found the channel, and glad you are here!
@@Forever8Bit and I've been playing Tempo, what an absolute gem! Never heard of it until your video and I thank you for that!
2 other 32x games you gotta play are Kolibri and Doom. [the new version, Doom Resurrection is a lot better, but i always enjoyed the original version]. WAY better than the snes version.
I played Virtua Racing and Virtua Fighter until my thumbs bled 🤣
I'm a SEGA kid, I love SEGA
I do too! :)
Yes it did.
Glad that these get the recognizion they deserve these days.
This video is just terribl.......y GREAT! I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. Your content is always upbeat and positive which is a change from many of the other retro channels that always find a way to go negative about something. I don't think there really is much to be negative about in retro gaming.
It's never been easier to get into retro gaming. We have reached a point that most consoles can be fully emulates at playable frame rates. Huge companies like Capcom and Konami have been releasing bangers of yester year on multiple current generation consoles. Yes, it has gotten expensive but there are still incredible deals to find if you look and hey, you can always save up for that big ticket game you might want. That's how I started and our collection is massive! We have a ginormous 5th generation and Neo Geo AES/MVS/CDZ collection. I am such an SNK fiend that we have two 4-slot MVS cabs in our living room. ;)
Addendum- While we do have a number of 32X titles I am considering blowing it out next. Well...it's between the Jaguar, 3DO, or 32X. I haven't decided yet.
WOW! That's a great collection you have! Geez, that would be a tough call: Jag, 3DO, or 32X? They're like Pokemon - gotta catch them all! :)
I use a combo plug on my Sega TOP and it works great!
I have an atgames genesis console I wonder if the 32x would work on it?
I can't believe Metalhead wasn't mentioned on this list. It's the only 32x game imo that I feel truly defines what the 32x was capable of. Or at least came close to anyway. That system needed more 3D titles badly.
Love the 32x 🕹great video 👍
Me too! Some really great gmes on it. Like any system, some stinkers too. But the good games are really great. Glad to have one!
Great list of games.
Thanks! I really dig the 32X. It's a great piece of Sega hardware that came too late in the life cycle of the Genny. Some good Saturn-like hardware inside that little mushroom.
surpised Kolibri didnt make your list. That game is a console seller.... well it makes me want to buy a 32x. it just doesnt sem to run well on a pi.
It's a great game, isn't it? Maybe I should've done a top 11 games for the 32X. :)
Retro gaming got so expensive, its have it or leave it....w
do a follow up when openlaura is released, also doom resurrection 2.x
I know this will sound total fanboyish, but I think nba jam on the 32x is better than the arcade. I also think it's the best console version overall, but truth be told I haven't played the jaguar version. However, the music is weird on that version so I'll still take the 32x version.
I like the 32X version also. It's a nice upgrade from the Genesis and CD versions. There is a lot of 32-bit horsepower under that 32X hood.
I have one and its great, Sega lovers 👍. But today 32x homebrew sene is poor, sega genesis homebrew are great !!!
That's cool that you have one and enjoy it! Very similar hardware in there to the Saturn, barring the 16-bit pipeline at the Genesis. A great add-on that could have crused it if it'd hit the market eariler.
Every single one i got on the cheaps just never worked
ok but how do i buy it
I've Got One!!!!
Awesome! Underrated piece of gaming tech from the 90s. Some great titles out there for it!
I have 2 sega 32x I love it that much!
It is !
Thank you Blaine
Great thanks 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video! :)
Now tht it's easier the 32x costs 500$.... sigh.
32x is awesome too bad it didn't have a huge abundance of games
I bought 3 back when it was released. They all falled
Wow! A 100% fail rate really sucks. With the benefit of 2022 information, I wonder if the capacitors were faulty? They seem to be leaky little suckers on some of the Sega products.
@@Forever8BitI have know idea. The first one I bought was at full retail price, the second one was an exchange , and the last one was on clearance at toys r u for twenty dollars. I was only 15 years old so I didn’t know much about electronics. I even had to call the 800 number to hook it up to my tv
All you need is a raspberry pi 4 to play all those classics.
Nope just 1 surge protector and an extension cord.
Que interesante
Unfortunately, also one of the more likely reasons for sega's poor performance in the West in the 5th gen, and ultimate untimely exit from the hardware industry. 32x was the wrong product at the wrong time. Misguided.