The Sega Mega Drive, otherwise known as Sega Genesis in North American territories, was the console that faced the Super Nintendo Entertainment System during the, arguably, the first instance of console wars.
The Sega Mega Drive is known for housing the uncensored version of Mortal Kombat which led to legislation establishing censorship bodies for video games. Aside from the Mortal Kombat series, other notable games for the system are Night Trap, Streets of Rage 2, Gunstar Heroes, and Phantasy Star IV.
If you would like to relive some of these old classics, take a look below for our best SEGA Genesis Emulators.
1. BlastEm
BlastEM is a Sega Genesis / Mega Drive emulator that is open source. This emulator is compatible with Windows, Linux (its principal platform), and macOS. BlastEm is all about cycle precision while yet being able to run on old hardware. Although the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive does not require high-end parts to mimic precisely, this emulator can work on even the most basic x86 hardware. This emulator is also capable of emulating Sega CD games.
This emulator is still in active development, and the developer hopes to transfer BlastEm to ARM. They also want the emulator to run on the Raspberry Pi.
Savestates, joystick and gamepad compatibility, turbo and bullet-time modes, filters, and shaders are among the features boasted by BlastEm. An integrated debugger, Mega / Sega Mouse emulation, and support for homebrew apps are among the more advanced features.
It is the first emulator to correctly run Titan’s stunning Overdrive 2 demo, and it is the only other emulator, aside from Genesis Plus GX, that can properly run the original Overdrive. This emulator also has a core for Retroarch. While this is a standalone emulator for desktop environments, it may be used on Android smartphones via Retroarch.
Pros
- Accurate
- In active development
- Lots of features
Cons
- No standalone port for ARM / mobile devices
Download from the Official Website (All Platforms)
2. Genesis Plus GX
Genesis Plus GX is an emulator meant to emulate the Sega systems on the GameCube and Wii. The supported Sega systems are the following: Sega SG-100, Master System / Game Gear, and of course, the Genesis / Mega Drive and its add-on Sega / Mega CD. While this emulator is available only as a standalone on the Wii and GameCube, it can still be used for emulation in other platforms through Retroarch.
The Genesis Plus GX claims to run all commercial games for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. This indicates that all of the games have been verified to operate without any graphical glitches or lock-ups at any point in emulating Sega Genesis / Mega Drive. However, this should be taken with a grain of salt since the developers could not possibly verify each and every game to have bug-free and accurate emulation.
GameCube / Wii features include perfect audio/video/input synchronization, hardware bilinear filtering, multiplayer support, high-resolution interlaced and progressive video modes support, internal game screenshots, and support for Wii controller hardware like Wii Remote, Nunchuk, and Classic.
Pros
- 100% compatibility
- Extremely accurate
Cons
- Standalone plays on the Wii and GameCube only
- Feature set is anemic
4. PicoDrive
Picodrive is not just an emulator for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive but also almost every single Sega system there is–Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear, Sega 32x, and even the Sega Pico, which name is derived from. This emulator is not the best performant if you are looking to emulate Sega Master System or Sega CD games.
The main branch of this emulator is no longer under active development. Because it is a core for Retroarch, it will continue to develop and will be available on many platforms where Retroarch runs. As a core in Retroarch, PicoDrive lets it work on Windows, Apple hardware, Linux, the PSP, Vita, Wii, and WiiU, as well as the Nintendo 3DS and Switch. PicoDrive for the PSP is out of date. It is no longer advised.
PicoDrive is made to run on outdated hardware like the abovementioned retro consoles. Due to this, emulating Sega Genesis / Mega Drive games is not that accurate as compared to other emulators in this list. PicoDrive has its uses, but emulating the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis is not the best. This emulator is better served emulating exotic Sega hardware like the Sega 32X and the Sega Pico.
Pros
- Runs on ancient hardware
Cons
- Not in active development as a standalone emulator
- Sacrifices speed for accuracy
Download from the Official Website (All Platforms)
5. ares
ares is a multi-system emulator. It is the continuation of the well-loved but deceased emulators, higan and bsnes. It is only available as a standalone emulator for Windows, Linux, and macOS hardware. It does not have a core for Retroarch because although it is open-source, it has specific licensing hurdles that prevent it from getting forks.
ares’ feature set includes save states, rewind and fast-forward, run-ahead options to reduce lag, pixel shaders, and color correction.
Pros
- Accurate
- Well-maintained and actively developed
Cons
- Available only in a desktop environment
Download from GitHub (All Platforms)
6. Retroarch
Retroarch is a multi-platform front-end program and not an emulator per se. It is a fast and lightweight front-end that runs on every possible hardware. What makes Retroarch great is that even if the standalone emulator is dead in terms of development, it might have a core out there that is still being developed like in the case of PicoDrive.
Retroarch’s main advantage is its ability to minimize input lag. This is especially significant in Sega Genesis / Mega Drive games like the twitchy Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or platformers that require precise controls like Disney’s Aladdin. Depending on the game, you can experiment with the VSync, Hard GPU sync, and Runahead options.
It is up to you which Retroarch core you use to emulate Sega Genesis / Mega Drive games, although the BlastEm core is highly recommended for its accuracy.
Pros
- Highly configurable
- Miraculous input lag reduction
- Available in a surprisingly broad range of gaming hardware including the PSP and the 3DS
Cons
- Not beginner friendly
- Menu digging
Download from the Official Website (All Platforms)
