Photo credit: Vellosia
Just like the Dreamcast, the SEGA Mega Modem was ahead of its time. This accessory was first released in Japan on November 3, 1990 and designed for use with SEGA Meganet, which was an online service for the Mega Drive in Japan and later Brazil. It was SEGA’s very first pay-to-play online multiplayer gaming service.
When activated, the SEGA Mega Modem enabled players to download several unique titles that could be played online competitively with friends. This accessory retailed at around $100 USD, not including the ¥800 monthly access fee, and included a special cartridge that granted access to the Meganet game library. A total of six titles launched with the SEGA Mega Modem, some of which may have taken longer to download since connection speed swere limited to 1200bit/s.
- Pay tribute to the classic Sonic the Hedgehog video game and recapture the magic in LEGO style with this brick-built version of the famous game level
- Includes a Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO minifigure, Dr. Eggman with buildable Eggmobile, Moto Bug with 2 face options, and Crabmeat figures
- Push the lever and launch the LEGO Sonic minifigure for Super Sonic jumps to evade the Bug and Crabmeat LEGO Sonic figures and collect the rings
It did make its way stateside too as the “Tele-Genesis” when SEGA introduced the accessory at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show (Winter CES) in January 1990. Unfortunately (or fortunately), it was never released in the region. To stir up more interest in Japan, SEGA debuted the Mega Anser, a special console designed for use with Nagoya Bank in Japan. This all-in-one system included a Mega Drive, Mega Modem, Mega Anser cartridge and keypad. It let users make transactions like balance inquiries, transfers, and loan information. In the end, it was a lack of titles and logistical issues that caused its demise.
