View source for 32X

{{short description|Video game console add-on}}
{{featured article}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox information appliance
| title = 32X {{!}} Sega Mega Drive (Genesis in the US) Add-on
| logo = Sega 32X logo.svg
| image = Sega-Genesis-Model2-32X.jpg
| caption = The 32X attached to a second model Genesis
| developer = [[Sega]]
| manufacturer = [[Sega]]
| type = [[Video game console]] [[Video game accessory|add-on]]
| generation = [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|Fifth]]
| releasedate = {{Video game release|NA|November 21, 1994|EU|November 1994|JP|December 3, 1994|BR|March 1995}}
| price = [[Japanese Yen|¥]]16,800<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/super32x/index.html|title=メガドライブを32ビット機に拡張するアップグレードブースター。|website=sega.jp|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305142837/https://sega.jp/history/hard/super32x/index.html|date=2025-01-13|archivedate=2018-03-05|language=ja}}</ref><br>{{US$|159.99|1994|link=yes|round=0}}<ref name="Kent_493_496">{{cite book |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |author-link=Steven L. Kent |url= |title=[[The Ultimate History of Video Games]] |publisher=Prima Publishing |year=2001 |isbn=0-7615-3643-4|page=493}}</ref><br />[[Pound sterling|£]]169.99<ref name="Retroinspection"/>
| discontinued = 1996
| unitssold = 800,000
| media = [[ROM cartridge]],<br />[[CD-ROM]] (with [[Sega CD]])
| cpu = 2× [[SuperH|SH-2]] [[32-bit computing|32-bit]] [[Reduced instruction set computer|RISC]]
| CPUspeed = 23&nbsp;MHz
| memory = 256 KB [[RAM]], 256 KB [[VRAM]]
| display = 320&nbsp;×&nbsp;240 resolution, 32,768 on-screen colors<ref name="HardwareSpecs" />
| dimensions = {{convert|110|xx|210|xx|100|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|495|g|oz|abbr=on}}<ref name="HardwareSpecs" />
| compatibility = [[Sega Genesis]] cartridges
| related = [[Sega CD]]
| name = 32X
}}

The '''32X''' is an [[video game accessory|add-on]] for the [[Sega Genesis]] [[video game console]]. Codenamed "Project Mars", it was designed to expand the power of the Genesis and serve as a transitional console into the [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|32-bit era]] until the release of the [[Sega Saturn]]. The 32X uses its own [[ROM cartridge]]s and has its own [[List of Sega 32X games|library of games]]. It was distributed under the name {{nihongo foot|'''Super 32X'''|スーパー32{{ruby|X|エックス}}|Sūpā Sanjūni Ekkusu|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}}<!-- See [[WP:JFN]] --> in Japan and South Korea, '''Genesis 32X''' in North America, '''Mega 32X''' in Brazil, and '''Mega Drive 32X''' in all other regions. 

[[Sega]] unveiled the 32X at the [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in June 1994, and presented it as a low-cost option for 32-bit games. It was developed in response to the [[Atari Jaguar]] and concerns that the Saturn would not make it to market by the end of 1994. Though the 32X was conceived as a new, standalone console, at the suggestion of Sega of America executive Joe Miller and his team, it became an add-on for the Genesis which made the console more powerful. The final design contained two 32-bit [[central processing units]] and a visual display processor.  

The 32X failed to attract third-party developers and consumers because of the announcement of the Saturn's simultaneous release in Japan. Sega's efforts to rush the 32X to market cut into time for game development, resulting in a [[List of 32X games|weak library of 40 games]] that did not fully use the hardware, including Genesis [[porting|ports]]. Sega produced 800,000 32X units and sold an estimated 665,000 by the end of 1994, selling the rest at steep discounts until it was discontinued in 1996 as Sega turned its focus to the Saturn. 

The 32X is considered a [[List of commercial failures in video games|commercial failure]]. Initial reception was positive, highlighting the low price and power expansion to the Genesis. However, later reviews, both contemporary and retrospective, were mostly negative because of its limited game library, poor market timing and its market fragmentation of the Genesis.

==History==
The [[Sega Genesis]] was released in 1988.<ref name="RetroinspectionG">{{cite magazine |author=Sczepaniak, John |date=August 2006 |title=Retroinspection: Mega Drive |url=https://www.sega-16.com/2006/09/retroinspection-mega-drive/ |access-date=April 17, 2024 |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |publisher=Imagine Publishing |pages=42–47 |via=Sega-16 |issue=27}}</ref> By early 1994, Sega had started to become concerned about competition from newer, more powerful [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|32-bit]] consoles, such as the [[Atari Jaguar]] and the [[3DO]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine|last=Thorpe|first=Nick|date=April 2016|title=Sega's Big Gamble|url=|magazine=[[Retro Gamer]]|issue=153|page=|pages=20–29|doi=|pmid=|access-date=}}</ref> The [[Sega CD]], a previous add-on for the Genesis, had not met commercial expectations, and the Genesis' successor, the [[Sega Saturn]], would not be fully rolled out worldwide until late 1995.<ref name="Retroinspection">{{cite magazine|last=McFerran|first=Damien|title=Retroinspection: Sega 32X|magazine=[[Retro Gamer]]|publisher=[[Imagine Publishing]]|issue=77|pages=44–49|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/features/hardware-classics-unpacking-the-32x-segas-most-catastrophic-console-failure|via=[[NintendoLife]]|accessdate=April 18, 2024}}</ref><ref name="EurogamerRAF">{{cite web |last=McFerran |first=Damien |date=February 22, 2012 |title=The Rise and Fall of Sega Enterprises |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-22-the-rise-and-fall-of-sega-enterprises |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140216124431/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-22-the-rise-and-fall-of-sega-enterprises |archive-date=February 16, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2014 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name=":1"/><ref name="32XIGN">{{cite web|author=Buchanan, Levi|title=32X Follies|website=[[IGN]]|date=October 24, 2008|access-date=May 25, 2013|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/24/32x-follies|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417080118/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/24/32x-follies|archive-date=April 17, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> This left a nearly two-year gap that Sega worried would allow its competitors to gain traction. According to former Sega of America CEO [[Tom Kalinske]], in regards to discussing about the longevity of the Genesis, "Initially, the argument was that we could get another year of life out of the Genesis before we had to introduce the Saturn. Japan disagreed with me on that, so as kind of a stopgap measure, the 32X came up."<ref name=":1"/>

===Development===
During the Winter [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in January 1994, Sega of America [[research and development]] head Joe Miller took a phone call in his Las Vegas hotel suite from Sega president [[Hayao Nakayama]], in which Nakayama stressed the importance of coming up with a quick response to the [[Atari Jaguar]]. Included on this call were Sega of America producer Scot Bayless, Sega hardware team head Hideki Sato, and Sega of America vice president of technology Marty Franz. One idea mooted by the Japanese team, referred to by former Sega of America producer Michael Latham as "Genesis 2",{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=494}} was an entirely new independent console.<ref name="Retroinspection" /> This would have been a new Genesis model with an upgraded color palette and some limited [[3D computer graphics|3D]] capabilities thanks to integration of ideas from the development of the [[Sega Genesis#Sega Virtua Processor|Sega Virtua Processor]] chip.

According to Latham, Miller dismissed an upgraded Genesis as "just a horrible idea. If all you're going to do is enhance the system, you should make it an add-on. If it's a new system with legitimate new software, great. But if the only thing it does is double the colors...."{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=494}} Miller said his idea was to leverage the existing Genesis as a way to keep from alienating Sega customers, who would otherwise be required to discard their Genesis systems entirely to play 32-bit games, and to control the cost of the new system in the form of an add-on.<ref name="Miller">{{cite web |author=Horowitz, Ken |date=February 7, 2013 |title=Interview: Joe Miller |url=http://www.sega-16.com/2013/02/interview-joe-miller/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202233248/http://www.sega-16.com/2013/02/interview-joe-miller/ |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |access-date=January 10, 2014 |website=Sega-16 |publisher= |df=mdy-all}}</ref> From these discussions, the new add-on, codenamed "Project Mars", was advanced.<ref name="Retroinspection"/>

With Miller pushing for his American team to create the system,<ref name="Retroinspection" /> the 32X was designed as a peripheral for the existing Genesis,{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=494}} expanding its power with two 32-bit [[SuperH]]-2 [[Central processing unit|processors]], the same as those that would be used in the Saturn but with a lower [[Clock rate|clock speed]].<ref name=":1" /> The SH-2 had been developed in 1993 as a joint venture between Sega and Japanese electronics company [[Hitachi]].<ref name="NG February">{{cite magazine|date=February 1995|title=Sega Saturn|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-002/page/n37/mode/2up|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=[[Future plc|Imagine Media]]|volume=1|issue=2|pages=36–43}}</ref> The original design for the 32X add-on, according to Bayless, was created on a cocktail napkin,<ref name="RetroinspectionCD">{{cite magazine|author=McFerran|first=Damien|date=February 2009|title=Retroinspection: Mega-CD|magazine=[[Retro Gamer]]|issue=61|pages=82–87}}</ref> but Miller denied this.<ref name="Miller" /> In another account, Bayless claimed that Franz began designing the 32X on a hotel notepad, drawing two SH-2 processors with separate [[Framebuffer|framebuffers]].<ref name="Retroinspection" /> 

Although the new unit was a stronger console than originally proposed, it was not compatible with Saturn games.{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=494}} This was justified by Sega's statement that both platforms would run at the same time, and that the 32X would be aimed at players who could not afford the more expensive Saturn.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Semrad|first=Ed|date=December 1994|title=EGM Goes One-on-One with Sega's Chief – Tom Kalinske|url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_65/page/n215/mode/2up|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|publisher=Sendai Publishing|issue=65|pages=191}}</ref><ref name="Allgame32X" /> Bayless praised the potential of this system at this point, calling it "a coder's dream for the day" with its twin processors and 3D capabilities.<ref name="Retroinspection"/> Sega of America headed up the development of the 32X, with some assistance from Sato's team in Japan. Shortages of processors due to the same 32-bit chips being used in both the 32X and the Saturn hindered the development of the 32X, as did the language barrier between the teams in Japan and the United States.<ref name="Retroinspection"/>

Before the 32X was launched, the release date of the Saturn was announced for November 1994 in Japan, coinciding with the 32X's target launch date in North America. Sega of America was tasked with marketing the 32X with the Saturn's Japan release occurring simultaneously. Their answer was to describe the 32X a "transitional device" between the Genesis and the Saturn; Bayless said this "just made us look greedy and dumb to consumers".<ref name="Retroinspection"/>

===Promotion and release===
[[Image:Sega-Saturn-JP-Mk1-Console-Set.jpg|thumb|right|Japanese Sega Saturn, released in November 1994. The 32X was incompatible with Saturn software.]]
The unveiling of the 32X to the public came at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show in June 1994 in Chicago. Promoted as the "poor man's entry into 'next generation' games", 32X was marketed for its [[United States dollar|US$]]159 price point as a less-expensive alternative to the Saturn. However, Sega would not answer as to whether or not a Genesis console equipped with a Sega CD and a 32X would be able to run Saturn software. [[Trip Hawkins]], founder of [[The 3DO Company]], was willing to point out that it would not, stating, "Everyone knows that 32X is a [[Band-Aid]]. It's not a 'next generation system.' It's fairly expensive. It's not particularly high-performance. It's hard to program for, and it's not compatible with the Saturn."<ref name="Kent_493_496" /> In response to these comments, Sega executive Richard Brudvik-Lindner pointed out that the 32X would play Genesis games, and had the same system architecture as the Saturn.{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=494}}  

In August of that year, ''[[GamePro]]'' highlighted the advantages of the upcoming add-on in its 32-bit processors and significantly lower price, noting that "[n]o doubt gotta-get-it-now gamers will spend the big bucks to grab Saturn or [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] systems and games from Japan. For the rest of us, however, 32X may well be the system of choice in '94."<ref name="GP32X">{{cite magazine|author=The Whizz|date=August 1994|title=32X: On the Upgrade Path|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_061_August_1994/page/n31/mode/2up|magazine=[[GamePro]]|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|issue=61|page=30}}</ref> ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' was more critical, questioning if the 32X was only there to fill in as a stopgap for the Christmas season in the US and Europe, and referred to the Japanese release as a "PR exercise and quick money maker [rather] than a serious bid to get the machine into every home". Responding to concerns over the 32X being a stopgap, Kalinske said, "Saturn will be at a price point that will not make it a massmarket item. In terms of volume and keeping the category exciting, it's Genesis and 32X."<ref name=":2" />

The 32X was released on November 21, 1994, in North America,<ref name=":0">{{Cite press release |title=Sega 32X upgrade sees a sold-out Yule |date=January 2, 1995 |publisher=[[Sega|Sega of America]] |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+32X+upgrade+sees+a+sold-out+Yule.-a016020605 |access-date=April 18, 2024 |via=[[Free Online Library]]}}</ref> in time for the [[Christmas holiday season|holiday season]] that year. As announced, it retailed for $159.99 without a [[pack-in game]].<ref name="Retroinspection" /><ref name=":2" /> Demand among retailers was high, and Sega could not keep up with orders for the new system.{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=496}} Over 1,000,000 orders had been placed for 32X units, but Sega had only managed to ship 600,000 units by January 1995.<ref name="Allgame32X" /> In the United States, nearly 500,000 units were sold by Christmas 1994,<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+threepeat+as+video+game+leader+for+Christmas+sales;+second...-a015997617|title=Sega threepeat as video game leader for Christmas sales; second annual victory; Sega takes No. 1 position for entire digital interactive entertainment industry.|publisher=[[Sega of America]]|date=January 6, 1995|via=[[Free Online Library]]|access-date=February 17, 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014174045/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+threepeat+as+video+game+leader+for+Christmas+sales;+second...-a015997617|archive-date=October 14, 2013}}</ref> exceeding Sega's initial sales projection.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Hot Off The Press: Sega Notes |magazine=RePlay |date=February 1995 |volume=20 |issue=5 |page=3 |url=https://archive.org/details/re-play-volume-20-issue-no.-5-february-1995/RePlay%20-%20Volume%2020%2C%20Issue%20No.%205%20-%20February%201995/page/n2}}</ref> Launching at about the same price as a Genesis console, the price of the 32X was less than half of what the Saturn's price would be at launch.<ref name="32XIGN" /> The European release came in November 1994, at a price of £169.99, and also experienced initial high demand.<ref>{{Cite web |title=25 October 1994, 18 - The Daily Telegraph at |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/751803147 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}</ref>

Sega promised 12 games available at launch and 50 games due for release in 1995 from third-party developers.<ref name="GP32X" /> Despite Sega's initial promises, only six games were available at its North American launch, including ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'', ''[[Star Wars Arcade]]'', ''[[Virtua Racing|Virtua Racing Deluxe]]'', and ''[[Cosmic Carnage]]''. Although ''Virtua Racing'' was considered strong, ''Cosmic Carnage'' "looked and played so poorly that reporters made jokes about it".{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=496}}<ref name="wire">{{cite web |author=McConville, James A. |date=January 2, 1995 |title=Sega 32X upgrade sees a sold-out Yule |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+32X+upgrade+sees+a+sold-out+Yule.-a016020605 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117021257/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+32X+upgrade+sees+a+sold-out+Yule.-a016020605 |archive-date=November 17, 2015 |access-date=February 11, 2014 |website=[[Business Wire]] |publisher=}}</ref> Games were available at a retail price of $69.95.<ref name="GP32X" /> Advertising for the system included images of the 32X being connected to a Genesis console to create an "[[Arcade game|arcade]] system".<ref name="Retroinspection" />  Japan received the 32X on December 3, 1994,<ref name="jp">{{cite web|title=Super 32X|url=https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/32x/|publisher=[[Sega|Sega Corporation]]|access-date=February 23, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716105656/http://sega.jp/fb/segahard/32x/|archive-date=July 16, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> two weeks after the launch of the Saturn in the region.<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine |date=January 1995 |title=Sega fills next-gen hiatus with 32X |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |pages=10–11 |issue=16}}</ref> The 32X launched in Brazil in March 1995.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=December 1995 |title=Circuito Aberto |magazine=Super GamePower |pages=10–11 |language=pt |issue=21}}</ref>

===Decline===
Despite the lower price console's positioning as an inexpensive entry into 32-bit gaming, Sega had a difficult time convincing [[third-party developer]]s to create games for the new system. Top developers were already aware of the coming arrival of the Sega Saturn, [[Nintendo 64]], and PlayStation, and did not believe the 32X would be capable of competing with any of those systems.{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=495}}  Not wanting to create games for an add-on that was "a technological dead-end", many developers decided not to make games for the system.<ref name="GamesRadar+" /> Problems plagued games developed in-house due to the 32X's quick development time. According to Bayless, "games in the queue were effectively jammed into a box as fast as possible, which meant massive cutting of corners in every conceivable way. Even from the outset, designs of those games were deliberately conservative because of the time crunch. By the time they shipped they were even more conservative; they did nothing to show off what the hardware was capable of."<ref name="Retroinspection"/> Kalinske has said that Sega of America did not receive enough support from Japan in game development. [[Software development kit|Development kits]] came out late, leaving little time for game development before the 32X release.<ref name=":1" /> According to one developer, the 32X's hardware was significantly slower than the Saturn and lacked the capability for [[texture mapping]].<ref name=":2" />

Journalists were similarly concerned about Sega's tactic of selling two similar consoles at different prices and attempting to support both, likening Sega's approach to that of [[General Motors]] and segmenting the market for its consoles.{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=495}}<ref name="FinWorld">{{cite magazine|author=Morris, Kathleen|title=Nightmare in the Fun House|magazine=[[Financial World]]|date=February 21, 1995|volume=32}}</ref> In order to convince the press that the 32X was a worthwhile console, Sega flew in journalists from all around the country to [[San Francisco]] for a party at a local nightclub. The event featured a speech from Kalinske, live music with a local rapper, and 32X games on exhibition. However, the event turned out to be a bust, as journalists attempted to leave the party due to its loud music and unimpressive games on display, only to find that the buses that brought them to the nightclub had just left and would not return until the scheduled end of the party.{{Sfn|Kent|2001|pp=495-496}}

Though the system had a successful launch, demand soon disappeared. Over the first three months of 1995, several of the 32X's third party publishers, including [[Capcom]] and [[Konami]], cancelled their 32X projects so that they could focus on producing games for the Saturn and PlayStation.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=May 1995|title=32X Update|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_070_May_1995/page/n139/mode/2up|magazine=[[GamePro]]|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|issue=70|page=138}}</ref> The 32X failed to catch on with the public, and is considered a [[List of commercial failures in video gaming|commercial failure]].{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=496}} By 1995, the Genesis had still not proven successful in Japan, where it was known as Mega Drive, and the Saturn was beating the PlayStation, so Sega CEO Hayao Nakayama decided to force Sega of America to focus on the Saturn and cut support for Genesis products, executing a surprise early launch of the Saturn in the early summer of 1995. Sega was supporting five different consoles before this—Saturn, Genesis, [[Game Gear]], [[Sega Pico|Pico]], and the [[Master System]]—as well as the Sega CD and 32X add-ons.{{sfn|Kent|2001|pages=508, 531}} Sales estimates for the 32X stood at 665,000 units at the end of 1994.<ref name="Man!ac">{{cite news |author= |date=May 1995 |title=Videospiel-Algebra |magazine={{interlanguage link|MAN!AC|de}} |publisher=Cybermedia |pages=24–25 |language=de}}</ref> Despite assurances from Sega that many games would be developed for the system, in early 1996, Sega finally conceded that it had promised too much out of the add-on and decided to discontinue the 32X in order to focus on the Saturn.<ref name="Allgame32X" /> In September 1995, the retail price for the 32X dropped to $99,<ref>{{cite web|date=September 19, 1995|title=Sega Genesis 32X price comes down to $99|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+Genesis+32X+price+comes+down+to+$99.-a017442621|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315214058/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Sega+Genesis+32X+price+comes+down+to+$99.-a017442621|archive-date=March 15, 2016|access-date=February 11, 2014|publisher=[[Business Wire]]}}</ref> and later the remaining inventory was cleared out of stores at $19.95,{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=496}} with 800,000 units sold in total.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stuart |first=Keith |title=Sega Mega Drive Collected Works |year=2014 |quote=Finally with regards the launch of the 32X Shinobu Toyoda of Sega of America recalls, "We had an inventory problem. Behind the scenes, Nakayama wanted us to sell a million units in the US in the first year. Kalinske and I said we could only sell 600,000. We shook hands on a compromise – 800,000. At the end of the year we had managed to shift 600,000 as estimated, so ended up with 200,000 units in our warehouse, which we had to sell to retailers at a steep discount to get rid of the inventory." |publisher=Read-Only Memory |isbn=9780957576810}}</ref>

=== Sega Neptune ===
The Sega Neptune is an unproduced two-in-one Genesis and 32X console which Sega planned to release in winter 1996, with the retail price planned to be under $200.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite magazine|title=CES ProNews Flashes!|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=68 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=March 1995|page=156}}</ref> In Sega’s 1995 official product catalog, the system was presented under the name "Genesis 32X System", reflecting Sega’s intention to market it as a fully integrated Genesis and 32X platform.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=1995 Sega Product Catalog|url=https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File:1995SegaProductCatalog_US.pdf&page=20|title=Genesis 32X System}}</ref>

The console was featured as early as March 1995, with ''[[Sega Magazine]]'' stating that the unit "shows [Sega's] commitment to the hardware".<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=March 1995|title=Introducing... The Megadrive 32X System!|magazine=[[Sega Magazine]]|publisher=[[EMAP]]|issue=15|page=8}}</ref> The same official catalog listed the system as compatible with the [[Sega_CD|Sega-CD]], which logically follows from its design as an integrated platform, meaning that both standard CD titles and CD 32X titles would have operated on the Neptune as well.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Mega Drive/Mega Drive 32X/Mega-CD Product Catalogue|url=https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=File:SEGAMegaDrive32XCDProductCatalogue.pdf&page=3|title=Mega Drive 32X}}</ref>

Sega cancelled the Neptune in October 1995, expressing concern that releasing another hardware platform would dilute their marketing focus on the Saturn and place a sub-$200 hybrid system uncomfortably close to their 32-bit offering.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=January 1996|title=1995: The Calm Before the Storm?|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-013/page/n57/mode/2up|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|issue=13|page=56}}</ref> ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' later used the Neptune as an [[April Fools' Day]] prank in its April 2001 issue, claiming that Sega had discovered a warehouse of unused Neptune units available for {{US dollar|199|2001}}.<ref name="EGM">{{cite magazine |title=Sega's Neptune Finally Surfaces |publisher=EGM Media, LLC. |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |date=April 2001 |url= https://archive.org/details/electronic-gaming-monthly-issue-141-april-2001/page/n28/mode/1up |accessdate=April 19, 2024 |page=30}}</ref>

Although often referred to as a prototype, the physical unit shown in promotional contexts was in fact a non-functional mock-up constructed from wood and plastic, used solely to illustrate the intended industrial design of the system.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://segaretro.org/Sega_Neptune|title=Sega Neptune – SegaRetro}}</ref> One such mock-up, recognizable by several surface abrasions, has appeared in exhibitions organized by the Videogame History Museum, including events such as the National Videogame Museum, E3, the Game Developers Conference, and the Classic Gaming Expo.

The Neptune has remained a subject of interest among enthusiasts, leading to various fan-made recreations incorporating original Genesis and 32X hardware, custom electronic integration, and 3D-printed enclosures intended to approximate the canceled design.

==Technical aspects and specifications==
[[File:Sega-Genesis-32X-Motherboard-Top.jpg|thumb|Twin [[Hitachi]] 32-bit [[SuperH|SH]]-2 chips power the 32X.]]
The 32X can be used only in conjunction with a Genesis system. It is inserted into the system like a standard game cartridge. The add-on requires its own separate power supply, a connection cable linking it to the Genesis, and an additional conversion cable for the original model of the Genesis. As well as playing its own library of cartridges, the 32X is backwards-compatible with Genesis games, and can also be used in conjunction with the Sega CD to play games that use both add-ons. The 32X also came with a spacer so it would fit properly with the second model of the Genesis; an optional spacer was offered for use with the [[Sega Genesis#First-party models|Sega Genesis CDX]] system, but ultimately never shipped due to risks of [[electric shock]] when the 32X and CDX were connected.<ref name="AllgameCDX">{{cite web |author=Marriott, Scott Alan |title=Sega Genesis CDX&nbsp;– Overview |url=http://allgame.com/platform.php?id=17675 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114094412/http://www.allgame.com/platform.php?id=17675 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |access-date=June 19, 2013 |website=[[AllGame]] |publisher=}}</ref> Installation of the 32X also requires the insertion of two included electromagnetic shield plates into the Genesis' cartridge slot.<ref name="HardwareSpecs" /><ref name="Allgame32X">{{cite web |author=Beuscher, David |title=Sega Genesis 32X&nbsp;— Overview |url=http://allgame.com/platform.php?id=35 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114094433/http://www.allgame.com/platform.php?id=35 |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |access-date=June 7, 2013 |website=[[AllGame]] |publisher=}}</ref>

Seated on top of a Genesis, the 32X measures {{convert |115|x|210|x|100|mm|in|abbr=on}}. The 32X contains two Hitachi SH-2 32-bit [[Reduced instruction set computing|RISC]] processors with a clock speed of 23 [[hertz|MHz]],<ref name="Kent_493_496" /><ref name="HardwareSpecs">{{cite book |title=Sega Genesis 32X ''instruction manual'' |publisher=[[Sega|Sega Enterprises, Ltd.]] |year=1994}}</ref> which Sega claimed would allow the system to work 40 times faster than a stand-alone Genesis.<ref name="Kent_493_496" /> Its [[graphics processing unit]] is capable of producing 32,768 colors and rendering 50,000 [[polygon (computer graphics)|polygons]] per second, which provides a noticeable improvement over the polygon rendering of the Genesis.<ref name="HardwareSpecs" /><ref name="Kent_493_496" /><ref name="Allgame32X" /> The 32X also includes 256 [[kilobytes]] of [[random-access memory]] (RAM), along with 256 kilobytes of [[VRAM|video RAM]]. Sound is supplied through a [[pulse-width modulation]] sound source. [[Input/output]] is supplied to a television set via a provided [[audiovisual|A/V]] cable that supplies [[composite video]] and [[stereo]] audio, or through an [[RF modulator]]. Stereo audio can also be played through [[headphones]] via a [[Headphone Jack|headphone jack]] on the attached Genesis.<ref name="HardwareSpecs" />

==Game library==
[[Image:Doom32X.PNG|thumb|right|The 32X version of ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'']]
{{See also|List of 32X games}}
The 32X library consists of 40 games, including six that required both the 32X and Sega CD. Among them were ports of arcade games ''[[After Burner]]'', ''[[Space Harrier]]'', and ''[[Star Wars Arcade]]'', a [[Side-scrolling video game|sidescroller]] with a [[hummingbird]] as a main character in ''[[Kolibri (video game)|Kolibri]]'', and a 32X-exclusive ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' spinoff, ''[[Knuckles' Chaotix]]''. Several of the games released for the 32X are enhanced [[Porting|ports]] of Genesis games, including ''[[NFL Quarterback Club (video game)|NFL Quarterback Club]]'' and ''[[World Series Baseball '95]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=November 1995|title=World Series Baseball|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-011/page/n177/mode/2up|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=Imagine Media|volume=1|issue=11|page=177 |quote=''World Series Baseball '95'' for the 32X isn't much better than its 16-bit counterpart, but it's easily the best baseball game available.}}</ref> In a retrospective review of the console, ''Star Wars Arcade'' was considered the best game for the 32X by ''[[IGN]]'' for its cooperative play, soundtrack, and faithful reproduction of the experiences of ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]''.<ref name=32XIGN /><ref name=IGNSW>{{cite web|author=Buchanan, Levi|title=Star Wars Arcade Review|website=[[IGN]]|date=October 24, 2008 |access-date=May 24, 2013|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/24/star-wars-arcade-review |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223223304/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/24/star-wars-arcade-review|archive-date=February 23, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In a separate review, ''IGN''{{'}}s Levi Buchanan praised the 32X game ''[[Shadow Squadron]]'' as superior to ''Star Wars Arcade''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Buchanan |first=Levi |date=November 13, 2008 |title=''Shadow Squadron'' Review |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/11/13/shadow-squadron-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127184258/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/11/13/shadow-squadron-review |archive-date=November 27, 2014 |access-date=November 14, 2014 |website=[[IGN]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> ''[[Retro Gamer]]'' writer Damien McFerran, however, praised ''[[Virtua Fighter (video game)|Virtua Fighter]]'' as "the jewel in the 32X's crown",<ref name="Retroinspection"/><ref>cf. {{cite magazine|date=November 1995|title=Un-X-Pected|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-011/page/n177/mode/2up|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=Imagine Media|volume=1|issue=11|page=177 |quote=The 32X version has kept all the moves intact. The characters don't look quite as solid as the Saturn version, but still look amazingly solid. Also added is the three new camera angles (birds-eye, low-angle, and high angle), a tournament feature for a group of competitors, and a full-match replay feature.}}</ref> and ''[[GamesRadar+]]'' named ''Knuckles' Chaotix'' as the best game for the system.<ref name="GamesRadar+"/> ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' called ''Virtua Fighter'' "the colorful wreath on 32X's coffin",<ref name=NGen12/> reflecting the consensus among contemporary critics that the game was at once arguably the 32X's best release and a clear harbinger of the platform's imminent discontinuation, since it was inferior to the already-released Saturn version of ''[[Virtua Fighter Remix]]'', as well as the forthcoming Saturn release of ''[[Virtua Fighter 2]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Virtua Fighter Review|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=75|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=October 1995|page=36}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=November 1995|title=ProReview: Virtua Fighter|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_076_November_1995/page/n67/mode/2up|magazine=[[GamePro]]|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|issue=86|page=66}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|date=November 1995|title=Un-X-Pected! |url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-011/page/n177/mode/2up|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|issue=11|page=177}}</ref><ref name=GPl79>{{cite magazine |title=System Analysis: 32X|magazine=[[Game Players]]|issue=79|publisher=Signal Research |page=52 |quote=Easily the cream of the 32X crop, ''Virtua Fighter'' is one of the most playable brawlers around. But with ''VF Remix'' and ''VF2'' on Saturn, it's not a great reason to buy into the add-on.}}</ref> In response to fan inquiries, Sega stated that the 32X architecture was not powerful enough to handle a port of ''Virtua Fighter 2''.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=March 1996 |title=Buyers Beware|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_090_Volume_08_Number_03_1996-03_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n15/mode/2up|magazine=[[GamePro]]|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|issue=90|page=14}}</ref>

Despite its 32-bit processing and potential for better graphics and sound than the Genesis, most games did not take advantage of the 32X hardware.<ref name="GamesRadar+" /> ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' for the 32X received near-perfect reviews,<ref name="DREGM">{{cite magazine | date=January 1995 |title=Doom Review|publisher=EGM Media, LLC |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |issue=66 |page=40 |quote=Scores: 9, 8, 8, 8, 9&nbsp;— Oh, yeah! Hours of fun! Just the thing a person needs after a rough day! This isn't the PC version, but it still does a great job with the first-person, point-the-weapon-and-shoot idea. This has to be the ultimate stress reliever!}}</ref><ref name="GPDoom">{{cite magazine | date=February 1995 |title=Doom Review |magazine=[[GamePro]] |publisher=IDG|issue=67 |page=58 |quote=Score: 100&nbsp;— Join the Space Marines! Travel to exotic worlds, meet new creatures and shoot them. It's time to lock and load ''Doom'' into a 32X and enjoy the game Wolfenstein built. This ''Doom'' sports fewer levels and less complex graphics than the PC or Jaguar versions, but it still has the chops!}}</ref><ref name="GameFan">{{cite magazine | date=  1994 |title=Doom Review |magazine=[[GameFan]] |publisher=DieHard Gamers Club|quote=Score: 87&nbsp;— I'm become accustomed to seeing new systems come out with horrible "games" imaginable, but the 32X is the complete opposite! With ''Doom'', you get about 75% of the PC original's greatness (er, not counting the background music) for a tenth of the price. Hey...I'm there!}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=1995 |title=Mega 32X Doom Review |url=https://plus.google.com/photos/103856167955960919854/albums/5905104259119998225?banner=pwa |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315192036/https://plus.google.com/photos/103856167955960919854/albums/5905104259119998225?banner=pwa |archive-date=March 15, 2014 |access-date=March 4, 2014 |website=[[Sega Force]] |publisher= |quote= |df=mdy-all}}</ref> but was later criticized as inferior to versions for the PC and the Atari Jaguar, with missing levels, poor graphics and audio, jerky movement, and [[Window (computing)|windowed]] gameplay.<ref name="32XIGN" /><ref name="IGNDOOM">{{cite web|author=Buchanan, Levi|title=Doom 32X Review|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=May 24, 2013|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/12/06/doom-32x-review|date=December 5, 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223050727/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/12/06/doom-32x-review|archive-date=February 23, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Diver |first=Mike |date=May 6, 2014 |title=20 years after launch, what can Sega's 32X teach today's console giants? |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/20-years-after-launch-what-can-segas-segas-32x-teach-todays-console-giants/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129030818/http://www.edge-online.com/features/20-years-after-launch-what-can-segas-segas-32x-teach-todays-console-giants/ |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=November 14, 2014 |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |publisher=}}</ref> Franz believes few developers were willing to invest in designing games to work with the 32X's improved audio abilities.<ref name="Retroinspection"/> One cause was the rush to release games for the 32X launch; former Sega of America [[executive producer]] Michael Latham said it took "a lot of convincing" to release the 32X launch game ''Cosmic Carnage.''{{Sfn|Kent|2001|p=496}} With ''Doom'', [[id Software]] programmer [[John Carmack]] had to cut a third of the levels to have the game ready for the 32X launch. Because of time limitations, game designs were intentionally conservative and did not show what the 32X hardware was able to do.<ref name="Retroinspection"/> Another factor was the architecture of the 32X's dual processors and graphics processor having difficulty accessing RAM, leading to developers choosing to only use one processor for their games.<ref name=":2" /> In an interview at the end of 1995, Sega vice president of marketing Mike Ribero insisted that Sega was not abandoning the 32X, but acknowledged that first-party support had been lackluster: "I won't lie to you, we screwed up with 32X. We overpromised and underdelivered."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=1996 |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=78|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=January 1996|pages=18–20}}</ref>

==Reception and legacy==
[[Image:Sega-Genesis-Model-2-Monster-Bare.jpg|thumb|right|Sega Genesis with both the 32X and CD add-ons]]
Initial reception to the 32X and its games upon the launch of the add-on was positive. Four reviewers from ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'' graded the 32X well in their 1995 Buyer's Guide, highlighting the add-on's enhancements to the Genesis but questioning how long the system would be supported: one reviewer suggested the add-on had a "bright future" while another believed it was only meant to last until the release of the Saturn.<ref name="egmbuyersguide1995">{{cite magazine |last1=Ed |last2=Danyon |last3=Al |last4=Sushi-X |date=January 1995 |title=EGM Rates the Systems of 1995! |url=https://archive.org/details/electronic-gaming-monthly-1995-video-game-buyers-guide/page/n31/mode/2up |access-date=April 19, 2024 |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]'s Buyer's Guide |publisher=EGM Media, LLC |page=33}}</ref> A reviewer for ''[[GamePro]]'' commented that the 32X's multiple input and power cords make it "as complicated as setting up your [[VCR]]" and noted some performance glitches with the prototype such as [[Freeze (computing)|freezes]] and overheating, but expressed confidence that the production models would perform well and gave the add-on their overall approval.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Return of the X|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=66|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=January 1995|page=188}}</ref> 

By late 1995, feedback to the add-on had soured. In its 1996 Buyer's Guide, ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'''s four reviewers scored the add-on 3, 3, 3, and 2 out of 10, criticizing the game library and Sega's abandonment of the system in favor of the Saturn.<ref name="egmbuyersguide1996">{{cite magazine |date=January 1996  |title=Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=EGM Media, LLC}}</ref> A review in ''Next Generation'' panned the 32X for its weak polygon processing, the tendency of developers to show off its capabilities with garishly colored games, and its apparent function as "simply a way of grabbing extra 1994 mind and market share while waiting for Saturn". The review gave it one out of five stars.<ref name="NGen12">{{cite magazine|date=December 1995|title=Which Game System is the Best!?|url=https://archive.org/details/nextgen-issue-012/page/n73/mode/2up|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|issue=12|page=73}}</ref> ''[[Game Players]]'' assessed it as so much less powerful than the Saturn and [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] that its lower price could not be considered an enticement, and said that the vast majority of its games could have been done just as well on the [[Super NES]]. Additionally commenting that both first party and third party software support had been weak, they concluded, "The lack of support [and] good games, and the release of Saturn make the 32X a system that never was."<ref name=GPl79/>

Retrospectively, the 32X is widely criticized as having a shallow library with a lack of support and a poor idea in the wake of the release of the Sega Saturn in Japan. ''[[1UP.com]]'''s Jeremy Parish stated that the 32X "tainted just about everything it touched."<ref name="1UP">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/sega-cd-anniversary |title=20 Years Ago, Sega Gave Us the Sega CD |access-date=December 11, 2016 |author=Parish, Jeremy |website=[[1UP.com]] |date=October 16, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615202428/http://www.1up.com/features/sega-cd-anniversary |archive-date=June 15, 2013 }}</ref> ''GamesRadar+'' also panned the system, placing it as their ninth-worst console with reviewer Mikel Reparaz criticizing that "it was a stopgap system that would be thrown under the bus when the Sega Saturn came out six months later, and everyone seemed to know it except for die-hard Sega fans and the company itself."<ref name="GamesRadar+">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/the-10-worst-consoles-ever/2/ |title=The 10 worst consoles ever |access-date=June 7, 2013 |author=Reparaz, Mikel |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |date=February 23, 2008 |page=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211144809/http://www.gamesradar.com/the-10-worst-consoles-ever/2/ |archive-date=February 11, 2017 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> ''<nowiki>Retro Gamer'</nowiki>''s Damien McFerran offered some praise for the power increase of the 32X to offer ports of ''Space Harrier'', ''After Burner'', and ''Virtua Fighter'' that were accurate to the original arcade versions, as well as the add-on's price point, stating, "If you didn't have deep enough pockets to afford a Saturn, then the 32X was a viable option; it's just a shame that it sold so poorly because the potential was there for true greatness."<ref name="Retroinspection"/> Levi Buchanan, writing for ''IGN'', saw some sense in the move for Sega to create the 32X but criticized its implementation. According to Buchanan, "I actually thought the 32X was a better idea than the SEGA CD... The 32X, while underpowered, at least advanced the ball. Maybe it only gained a few inches in no small part due to a weak library, but at least the idea was the right one."<ref name="32XIGN" />

In particular, the console's status as an add-on and poor timing after the announcement of the Saturn has been identified by reviewers as being responsible factors for fracturing the audience for Sega's video game consoles in terms of both developers and consumers. ''[[Allgame]]''<nowiki/>'s Scott Alan Marriott states that "[e]very add-on whittled away at the number of potential buyers and discouraged third-party companies from making the games necessary to boost sales."<ref name="AllgameCD32X">{{cite web |author=Marriott, Scott Alan |title=Sega Genesis CD 32X&nbsp;— Overview |url=http://allgame.com/platform.php?id=43 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210111102/http://www.allgame.com/platform.php?id=43 |archive-date=December 10, 2014 |access-date=June 7, 2013 |website=[[AllGame]] |publisher=}}</ref> ''GamePro'' criticized the concept of the add-on, noting the expenses involved in purchasing the system. According to reviewer Blake Snow, "Just how many 16-bit attachments did one need? All in all, if you were one of the unlucky souls who completely bought into Sega's add-on frenzy, you would have spent a whopping $650 for something that weighed about as much as a small dog."<ref name="gamepro">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/domestic/games/features/111823.shtml |title=The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time |access-date=November 25, 2007 |author=Snow, Blake |magazine=[[GamePro]] |date=May 4, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070508035815/http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/domestic/games/features/111823.shtml|archive-date=May 8, 2007}}</ref> Writing for ''GamesRadar+'', Reparaz noted that "developers—not wanting to waste time on a technological dead-end—abandoned the 32X in droves. Gamers quickly followed suit, turning what was once a promising idea into an embarrassing footnote in console history, as well as an object lesson in why console makers shouldn't split their user base with pricey add-ons."<ref name="GamesRadar+" /> Reparaz went on to criticize Sega's decision to release the 32X, noting that "(u)ltimately, the 32X was the product of boneheaded short-sightedness: its existence put Sega into competition with itself once the Saturn rolled out."<ref name="GamesRadar+" /> Writing for ''IGN'', Buchanan points out, "Notice that we haven't seen many add-ons like the 32X since 1994? I think the 32X killed the idea of an add-on like this—a power booster—permanently. And that's a good thing. Because add-ons, if not implemented properly, just splinter an audience."<ref name="32XIGN" />

Former executives at Sega have mixed opinions of the 32X. Bayless believed firmly that the 32X served as a warning to the video game industry not to risk splintering the market for consoles by creating add-ons, and was critical of the [[Kinect]] and [[PlayStation Move]] for doing so.<ref name="Retroinspection"/> Franz placed the 32X's commercial failure on its inability to function without an attached Genesis and lack of a CD drive, despite its compatibility with the Sega CD.<ref name="Retroinspection"/> Miller remembered the 32X and his vision for the console positively, but conceded that the timing was wrong with the Saturn on the horizon.<ref name="Miller"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Video games}}
* [[Philips CD-i]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Sega Genesis}}
{{Sega|Mega Drive/Genesis}}
{{Fifth generation game consoles}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sega 32x}}
[[Category:1990s toys]]
[[Category:Fifth-generation video game consoles]]
[[Category:Products and services discontinued in 1996]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1994]]
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[[Category:Sega Genesis|32X]]
[[Category:SuperH-based game consoles]]
[[Category:Video game console add-ons]]