Update: AtGames Sega Megadrive compatibility list
My recent review of the AtGames Sega Megadrive docked points for the console’s imperfect cartridge abilities. With a small selection of Genesis games, I was only able to find one game that operated perfectly. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to test a wider selection of cartridges and peripherals, I’m compiling a list of them. So far, it looks pretty bleak for cartridges, but with the 20 games that are built in and working perfectly, the numbers are still pretty solidly in favor of games you can play on the system.
However, it looks as though the numbers are not as good when looking at just cartridges, as a number of popular first-party titles are completely incompatible, even when looking at games that are also built into the system. It’s not clear why integrated games would work while their cartridge counterparts would not.
6-in-1 Promo Cartridge • Doesn’t work. Gives a region error.
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Alien Storm • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Altered Beast • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Arrow Flash • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Castlevania: Bloodlines • Doesn’t work. Konami logo appears without animation, then freezes.
Columns III • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Crack Down • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Decap Attack • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Dynamite Headdy • Works perfectly.
Earthworm Jim • Doesn’t work. It’s a shame, too, because this is one of the best games on the system.
Ecco the Dolphin • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Ecco Jr • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
E-SWAT • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Eternal Champions • Doesn’t work.
F22 Interceptor • The game is playable, but has minor graphical issues.
Fire Shark • The game is playable, but has serious graphical issues.
Flicky • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Gain Ground • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Golden Axe • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Greatest Heavyweights • Doesn’t work.
Jewel Master • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Joe Montana II SportsTalk Football • Works perfectly. Man, the voices have not aged well.
Judge Dredd • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Kid Chameleon • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Landstalker • Doesn’t work. Gives a region error.
Risk • Works perfectly.
Road Rash II • The game is playable, but has minor graphical issues. It locked up on me once during testing.
Shadow Dancer • Built into the system. Cartridge compatibility untested.
Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master • The cartridge doesn’t work, but the game is built into the system, so it doesn’t matter.
Sonic Spinball • The cartridge doesn’t work, but the game is built into the system, so it doesn’t matter.
Sonic & Knuckles • Doesn’t work, but the game is built into the system. Plugging the cartridge into the system gives you that error message that says, “No way!” as if you’ve stacked an incompatible cartridge onto the top. Plugging a compatible game that works otherwise, like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, gives the same result. So you can play the game using the built-in version, but there’s no way to do any of the combination titles.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 • The most popular title on the platform, fortunately, works perfectly. This would have been the biggest disappointment on the list, otherwise.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Doesn’t work. It’s disappointing that such an important and popular title won’t be playable on the system, as it’s not one of the 20 built-in.
Street Fighter II: Special Championship Edition • Doesn’t work. I’m wondering if there are any six-button games that work on this system.
Toejam & Earl • Works perfectly.
Viewpoint • Works perfectly.
Warsong • Works very well, with some graphical issues.
Wiz N Liz • Works perfectly. I had never played this game before, and I have to say I was missing out.
X-Men • Doesn’t work. Oddly enough, when you start it up there’s a weird and kind of creepy noise, and that’s it.
X-Men 2 • Doesn’t work. I suppose it would be weird if this one worked better than the original.
Tags: atgames, compatibility, genesis, megadrive, sega
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Stephen,
A tip on games like 6 Pak and Sonic 3, Have you tried flipping the switch in the back from NTSC to PAL? It will still work on the television and your games will play. I had to do this with NHL 95 and NHL 97 which gave me black screens. The same with 6 Pak, flipping the switch in the back made the game work (although the sounds are questionable) Same with Landstalker.
Stephen,
A tip on games like 6 Pak and Sonic 3, Have you tried flipping the switch in the back from NTSC to PAL? It will still work on the television and your games will play. I had to do this with NHL 95 and NHL 97 which gave me black screens. The same with 6 Pak, flipping the switch in the back made the game work (although the sounds are questionable) Same with Landstalker.
It looks pretty bleak for cartridges.