Sega 32X

"The Sega CD had some saving grace but sadly this can not be said for 32X"

The 32X was the second of two controversial upgrades to Sega's 16-bit Genesis console. As the name suggests the system is capable of generating 32-bit graphics while using the core Genesis hardware to run the games. The idea seemed somewhat intriguing back in 1994 but the end result was a complete mess. The 32X was one of the most ill conceived and poorly executed pieces of hardware to ever bear the label of a gaming system.

Why is this system so bad? Well for starters its very existence is completely pointless. Sega's reasoning for creating the system was that the 32X would help maintain interest in the aging Genesis and provide it with a technological edge over the rival Super NES. The problem was that by the time it was released the 16-bit era was winding down and people were looking towards the next generation of consoles. The Sega Saturn was only about six months away, leaving only the most die hard Sega supporters or the incredibly naïve willing to buy the 32X. Why Sega didn't simply put expansion chips in their Genesis cartridges like Nintendo was doing with the Super NES just baffles me. Console add-ons almost never work to begin with because of their limited demographic appeal and generally high price points. The fact that you had to own the Genesis to use the 32X was bad enough but factor in a cost of $150 at launch and what other outcome can you really expect?

System Design
The 32X works by inserting it into the Genesis's cartridge slot. 32X games are then played by inserting them into the 32X's own cartridge slot. The system is also backwards compatible with regular Genesis games, so you can keep it permanently connected to the Genesis after the initial setup. The 32X uses the standard Genesis controller to play its games at least, so there's no need to buy any new peripherals. Come to think of it I don't think Sega released any 32X specific accessories at all, just as well I suppose.

Hooking the 32X up seems like a simple enough task but it can quickly become a grueling exercise in frustration and tediousness once you realize how daunting its hook up is. What's the problem? The 32X can't run off of the Genesis alone instead it comes with its own power cord which must be plugged into a separate outlet. If you've got your TV and Genesis in already you'll need a power bar. No big deal right? Well it could be because like the Genesis it has one of those cords with the fat ungainly end to it that takes up way too much space. If you own the Sega CD which also has its own bulky power cord all I can say is, good luck, because you'll be playing around with those wires for a good while before you get any gaming in. It just shows how poorly conceived and tacked on this system was.

Graphics
The whole point of this thing was to upgrade the Genesis's graphical abilities, yet the improvements were disappointing at best and certainly not worth the asking price for the unit. This is not to say the thing didn't have technological potential it was just never given the opportunity to make anything of it. The 32X was rushed to retail in order to coincide with the 1994 holiday season, a move which left the few developers willing to support it with little chance to polish up their games in time for launch. As a result the system's power was not utilized effectively and consumers were left with games that looked only marginally better than Genesis titles, if at all.

Sound
The 32X's audio is just as disappointing. I'm no expert on the precise inner workings of this system but I can tell you from my own experience that these games sound pretty much the same as regular Genesis titles. I'm left to question whether the 32X provides any enhancement at all. Again it just shows how badly this idea was implemented and how worthless this add-on was.

Games
Consumers weren't fooled by the 32X's false promises and neither were developers, who wisely ignored it fully aware of the system's impending doom. As a result the 32X has one of the worst libraries of any system out there. Less than forty games were ever released and among them only a handful are even worth mentioning let alone buying. There are so few decent games for the 32X that I might as well list all of them here for your convenience.

Doom (nowhere near as good as the PC version)
Knuckles Chaotix
Mortal Kombat II (better on Saturn and PlayStation except for load times)
Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
Space Harrier
Virtua Fighter (Virtua Fighter Remix on Saturn is better)
Virtua Racing Deluxe

Something that leaves me scratching my head even more is the handful of CD 32X games which utilize both Genesis add-ons. How many people do you suppose owned both a 32X and a Sega CD given the steep asking prices? And how many of them do you suppose hadn't already played Night Trap on the Sega CD? Perhaps I'm over analyzing this one.

Buy?
Obviously there is no way I could have possibly recommended the 32X back in its heyday. But seeing as you can probably buy the system for about $10 or less today, for some it might be worth owning for the novelty alone. I'll admit there is a certain feeling of satisfaction and superiority that comes with having a fully supped up Genesis/Sega CD/32X combo. Otherwise do not buy a 32X. This console is just plain terrible and ranks right up there with disasters like the Virtual Boy, Jaguar, Game.Com, and CD-I as one of the worst video game systems ever made. Beware.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 08/29/01, Updated 11/16/07

Game Release: Sega 32X Hardware (US, November 1994)