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Sega MegaPlay arcade machine.

The MegaPlay is an arcade cabinet, which used a JAMMA based system to run Sega Mega Drive hardware and software. It differs from the Mega-Tech arcade cabinet as coins increase credits instead of gameplay time. There were also no Master System game ports. Two Sonic games received ports, which are: Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Hardware

The MegaPlay unit internals consisted of a uncased Genesis PCB, a 4-slot multi-cart adapter, two built-in joysticks, and the appropriate coin-op and cart-switching hardware. This meant that, in theory, any title created for the Genesis hardware could be used in the MegaPlay unit, and vice versa. However, MegaPlay cartridges differed from standard Genesis cartridges in that they contained various encryption techniques and BIOS chips, to prevent unscrupulous arcade owners simply swapping in the cheaper retail cartridges. The cartridges were also shaped like standard Japanese Mega Drive cartridges, to prevent the games fitting into American and European home systems.

The cabinet had two screens: a large gameplay screen, and a smaller instruction screen, located just above the main gameplay screen.

The multicart adaptor used in the MegaPlay was later adapted and sold as an accessory for the home console - the "Video Jukebox" or "MegaPlay 1010", which plugged into the console's cartridge slot.

Sega MegaPlay PCB.

Home version for the Sega Genesis.

Flyer scans