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16-Bit Consoles

LAUNCH_YEAR: 1988

The console wars. Blast Processing vs Mode 7. Sega vs Nintendo.

Historical_Context

While computers were fighting over spreadsheets, the living room was a battlefield. The 16-bit era brought arcade-quality graphics home. It was defined by the rivalry between the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) and the Super Nintendo (SNES).

Sega went for speed, using the Motorola 68000 (same as Amiga/Mac) to push fast sprites in Sonic. Nintendo went for special effects, using custom chips to rotate background layers (Mode 7) and simulate transparency.

This era also saw the rise of add-on chips inside cartridges. The SuperFX chip allowed the SNES to render 3D polygons in Star Fox, essentially putting a computer inside the game cart.

Notable_Models

Sega Mega Drive / Genesis

1988

Genesis Does What Nintendon't. Used the 68000 to deliver fast arcade action.

Motorola 68000 VDP

Super Nintendo (SNES)

1990

The 16-bit king. Slower CPU but massive custom chipset power.

Ricoh 5A22 PPU

Neo Geo AES

1990

The Advanced Entertainment System. Literally arcade hardware in a home console. Games cost $200+.

Motorola 68000 SNK Custom

TurboGrafx-16

1987

The PC Engine. Tiny console, huge in Japan. 8-bit CPU with 16-bit graphics.

HuC6280 HuC6270

Atari Jaguar

1993

Do the Math. Atari's last console. Marketed as 64-bit but was really multiple 32-bit chips. Awkward controller with a phone keypad.

Tom + Jerry + 68000 Tom

Sega Saturn

1994

The 2D powerhouse. Twin SH-2 CPUs made it incredibly powerful but notoriously difficult to program. Dominated in Japan, failed elsewhere.

Hitachi SH-2 (x2) VDP1 + VDP2

Sony PlayStation

1994

The industry changer. Born from a failed Nintendo partnership. Easy to develop for, aggressive marketing, and a massive library.

MIPS R3000A Custom Sony GPU

Nintendo 64

1996

The cartridge gamble. Stuck with cartridges while competitors used CDs. Powerful hardware held back by tiny storage and complex architecture.

NEC VR4300 Reality Coprocessor (RCP)

Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom

1983

The console that saved gaming. After the 1983 crash, Nintendo rebuilt the industry. Still has an active demoscene.

Ricoh 2A03 PPU (2C02)

Sega Dreamcast

1998

Ahead of its time. First console with built-in modem for online play. Killed by PS2 hype but beloved by indie developers.

Hitachi SH-4 PowerVR2 (CLX2)

Sega Mega Drive

1988

Also known as Genesis. FM Sound (YM2612).

Super Nintendo

1990

Sample-based sound (SPC700). Hardware transparency.

Tech_Specs

  • Sega CPU Motorola 68000 @ 7.6 MHz
  • SNES CPU Ricoh 5A22 (65c816) @ 3.58 MHz
  • Colors Sega: 61 on screen. SNES: 256 on screen.
  • Resolution Typically 256x224 or 320x224

Key_Silicon

Sega VDP Video

Derived from Master System but turbo-charged. Fast tile scrolling.

Nintendo PPU Video

Two chips (PPU1/PPU2). Supported Mode 7 (Affine Transforms) and Window Masking.

SPC700 SNES Audio

Sony-designed DSP. 8 channels of ADPCM samples. Sounded like an orchestra.

YM2612 Sega Audio

Yamaha FM synthesis. Gritty, metallic, energetic.