The Sega Mega Drive is a video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1988, North America in 1989, and the PAL region in 1990. It was sold under the name Sega Genesis in North America, as Sega was unable to secure legal rights to the Mega Drive name in that region.
The Mega Drive was the first 16-bit console to achieve notable market share in Europe and North America. It was the direct competitor of the Super Famicom (SNES), although the Sega Mega Drive was released two years earlier.
Globally the Sega Mega Drive and games began production in Japan in 1988 and ended with the last new game being released in 2002 in Brazil. One game, Beggar Prince, was re-released in 2006 in North America – though it was an unofficial release.