Mega Drive joypad T-Shirt

1988 saw the Japanese release of the Sega Mega Drive, one year after the release of NEC's PC-Engine in a market dominated by Nintendo's Famicom (NES). Although it was more powerful than both the PC-Engine and the 8-bit NES, it failed to make much of an impact in its home country. The release of its greatest rival, the Super Famicom (SNES), two years later spelled doom for the machine.

However, the Mega Drive's fortunes lay abroad, particularly in Europe and North America where it was named 'Genesis'. This success was partly due to a competitive price point, aggressive marketing and a little known bundled game called 'Sonic The Hedgehog'. Sega's new mascot became hugely popular and despite fierce competition from Nintendo's SNES the Mega Drive managed to clock in worldwide sales of 29 million units, becoming Sega's most successful console to date.

The Mega Drive's controller was extremely comfortable to hold, its shape curved to fit into the palm, a move away from the blocky designs of earlier control pads. It also featured three big buttons labelled A, B and C, perfect for arcade games like Altered Beast and Golden Axe. The popularity of Street Fighter and its port to the Mega Drive saw it upgraded to 6-buttons later on.