Different Genesis Control Pads

[TonyTheTiger]

Pointless? Probably. But for some strange reason I've always paid attention to the different color schemes and variations Genesis pads went through. I'm not talking about third party stuff since it'll take forever to find them all. I'm more interested in ones made by Sega or its licensees.

I went looking and found some that I've never seen before. Let me know if I'm missing any or if my info is off.


American Stuff



A: Genesis, red text. Included with Genesis Model 1 consoles.

B: Genesis, white text. Included with Genesis Model 2 consoles. I think there were two versions of this, one had a longer wire.

C: I've never seen this one before. Was this the pack-in with the Genesis 3?

D: 6 Button version 1. Included with the CDX.

E: 6 Button version 2. I don't know if this was ever sold with a console.


European Stuff (I think that's the case, at least. I'm not sure about this region at all).



F: Mega Drive, white text. Was this included with the Model 1 systems?

G: Mega Drive, red start button. I'm pretty certain this came with the Model 2.

H: Mega Drive, red text. I've never seen this before. Any ideas?

I: 6 Button, red start button. Did this come with a console? Multi-Mega, maybe?

J: Some kind of wireless pad. New to me.

K: Again, new to me. I'm just guessing that it's European but I could be wrong.


Asian Stuff



L: Mega Drive, blue start button. I think this was the standard pad for most Japanese consoles. I'm pretty sure it was included with the Model 1 machines as well as various oddities like the Sega branded Wondermega and the Teradrive.

M: 6 Button, blue start button. I know this was packaged with the Japanese Model 2. But it also looks like it came with a Multi-Mega and whatever that bizarre Linguaphone Education Gear CD-ROM thing is.

N: Samsung branded pad. Came with the Korean Super Aladdin Boy.


Weird Stuff



O: JVC X'Eye pad.

P: Victor pad packaged with the Victor branded Wondermega RG-M1.

Q: Wireless Victor pad included with the Wondermega RG-M2.

R: Laseractive Pad.

S: That Aiwa Boom Box thing.

T: Amstrad Mega PC. One of my favorite color schemes.


I count 20. Did I get them all?

[ShinobiMan]

I think you nailed it. Very informative thread too. Kudos for putting this all together for us. It was nice to be able to glance at all these pictures. Sega sure did make a lot of controller modifications during the Genesis era... probably more so than any other console.

[GM80]

E. was the one I got with my Genesis 3 (look at the photo of the box behind controller C.). No clue what C. actually is.

You don't have the official wireless controllers for North America listed, though that may be it you have labeled as J. under European Stuff. Been too long for me to recognize whether that's exactly it or not.

[NayusDante]

The one I use regularly is D. If it came with the CDX, then how rare is it supposed to be??? Mine came in an ebay lot with my Model 2.

I have two odd variations. First, an A with GRAY around the word GENESIS, but SEGA is still white, a two-color logo. Second, a B with an unusually short wire, which can't be more than 4 feet long.

[KREATIVEassassin]

C was the pack-in controller I got with my Genesis 3. I bought it new at Toys "R" Us.

[TonyTheTiger]

Originally Posted by GM80

You don't have the official wireless controllers for North America listed, though that may be it you have labeled as J. under European Stuff. Been too long for me to recognize whether that's exactly it or not.

You're right.



It is just like J except it has a gray start button instead of a red one. We'll call this one U. We now have 21 controllers.

Originally Posted by GM80

E. was the one I got with my Genesis 3 (look at the photo of the box behind controller C.). No clue what C. actually is.

Originally Posted by KREATIVEassassin

C was the pack-in controller I got with my Genesis 3. I bought it new at Toys "R" Us.

Interesting. So the Genesis 3 came with two different controllers.

[A Black Falcon]

Yeah, D came with many later Model 2 Genesises, not just the CDX. It's easily the second most common kind of Genesis controller in the US, after only the original model (A or B, which are identical apart from button color). The C/E ones are the style you got with the Genesis 3, as has been said, and I've always thought that they are much inferior to the D design style... the D controller looks a lot cooler, and M works much better as a shoulder button and not a face button.

That D one (the official 6-button Genesis controller) is my favorite non-analog controller ever... many prefer the model 2 Saturn controller, but I still prefer the Genesis one.

Oh, and I guess you're not counting arcade sticks, but there also official 3-button turbo Genesis arcade sticks and 6-button turbo Genesis arcade sticks out there. I have one of the 6-button turbo ones.

[CosmicMonkey]

I'm sure both F and H came bundled with PAL Megadrives. F definitely came with the Sonic bundle though.

You'd be better off seeing if you can find pictures of all the different Megadrive boxes as they always have a picture of the system and pad/s on the front.

[DigitalSpace]

Originally Posted by TonyTheTiger

E: 6 Button version 2. I don't know if this was ever sold with a console.

IIRC, it was manufactured by Majesco and bundled with the Genesis 3.

K: Again, new to me. I'm just guessing that it's European but I could be wrong.

The Mega Fire controller was sold in the US as well. Here's a photo of one that I found on eBay:

[Gameguy]

There's another 3 button control pad that was released in North America back when the Model 1 was still sold(or very close to it). It has a slow-mo switch on the back and I believe turbo buttons too. I forget what it's called, I'd have to look through boxes to find it but I got it back around 91 or early 92 and it's official.

There's also the arcade stick, but I'm not sure if you're looking to include that.

[TonyTheTiger]

I'd love to see a picture of that. And, yeah, I was thinking about arcade sticks and stuff but, truthfully, I was lazy.

Though it's really just the sheer number of control pad variations that boggles my mind. It seems like every month Sega or one of its partners was releasing some new color scheme or design.

[A Black Falcon]

Originally Posted by DigitalSpace

IIRC, it was manufactured by Majesco and bundled with the Genesis 3.
The Mega Fire controller was sold in the US as well. Here's a photo of one that I found on eBay:

Yeah, I also think the E ones were made by Majesco, not Sega. They only appeared after the release of the Genesis 3.

I really don't know about those C ones, though...when were they made, and by who?

[CosmicMonkey]

As far as official arcade sticks go, the only ones I know of are:

Arcade Power Stick (3 button)
Arcade Power Stick II (6 button)
Sega Mega Stick (3 button, officially licensed by Asciiware)

Only the original APS had 'Megadrive' branding on it, I assume there was also a 'Genesis' branded version?

[A Black Falcon]

Originally Posted by CosmicMonkey

As far as official arcade sticks go, the only ones I know of are:

Arcade Power Stick (3 button)
Arcade Power Stick II (6 button)
Sega Mega Stick (3 button, officially licensed by Asciiware)

Only the original APS had 'Megadrive' branding on it, I assume there was also a 'Genesis' branded version?

The one I have (the official US 6-button model) has six buttons (with turbo switches for each of the main buttons), with a Sega logo on the front. On the back it says "Sega, 6-Button Arcade Stick, MK-1627, Made in Japan."

[NESGamer24]

Awesome Thread.

I remember when My Dad bought me my Genesis. Got it as a bundle from Sams Club. Came with the system (1st Gen Version) with standard controller B on your screenshots. With Sonic 1 and Evander Holyfields Real Deal Boxing and a mail in for Sonic 2. Also came with a Mega Fire controller letter K in your screenshots.

I still have the system and controllers and games. What a console. Thanks for posting all the different controllers.

In fact my friend had me buy a standard controller from Digital Press last time I was there because he refuses to use anything other than that one when he plays Genesis.

[TonyTheTiger]

So the Model 1 Genesis was also packaged with B, the one with white text? I always assumed the Model 1 consoles came standard with red text A while the white text B version didn't show up until the Model 2.

[ooXxXoo]

For those wondering about which controller came with the Genesis 3....Well, there are 2 revisions of the Genesis 3 motherboard, so I'm sure each revision came with its own controller style...
,,.

[A Black Falcon]

Originally Posted by TonyTheTiger

So the Model 1 Genesis was also packaged with B, the one with white text? I always assumed the Model 1 consoles came standard with red text A while the white text B version didn't show up until the Model 2.

My guess would be:

Early model 1s - A
Later model 1s - B
Early model 2s - B (maybe)
Later model 2 - D (or maybe all model 2s? Does anyone know for sure? I wouldn't be surprised if all model 2s came with a D controller, but don't know for sure.)
CDX - D
Model 3 - definitely E, probably also C at some point

[Gameguy]

Originally Posted by A Black Falcon

My guess would be:

Early model 1s - A
Later model 1s - B
Early model 2s - B (maybe)
Later model 2 - D (or maybe all model 2s? Does anyone know for sure? I wouldn't be surprised if all model 2s came with a D controller, but don't know for sure.)
CDX - D
Model 3 - definitely E, probably also C at some point

I've got a complete Model 2 in the box with controller "B", it's the core system with no pack-in game.

[A Black Falcon]

Originally Posted by Gameguy

I've got a complete Model 2 in the box with controller "B", it's the core system with no pack-in game.

Okay then, so model 2s came in both 3-button and 6-button varieties.

Yup, here's some boxshots of the 3-button Genesis 2. http://www.old-computers.com/museum/...t=1&c=843&st=2

Hmm, was there actually a 6-button Genesis 2? I thought there was, but it'd be nice to have proof... I know the D controllers were fairly common, because a lot of people got them for SFII SCE or the Mortal Kombat games, among others, but it would be nice for sure to know (remember) whether they came packed in.

Originally Posted by TonyTheTiger

So the Model 1 Genesis was also packaged with B, the one with white text? I always assumed the Model 1 consoles came standard with red text A while the white text B version didn't show up until the Model 2.

That's possible, I'm not certain. The model 1 certainly started with A, though.

[Gameguy]

Originally Posted by TonyTheTiger

So the Model 1 Genesis was also packaged with B, the one with white text? I always assumed the Model 1 consoles came standard with red text A while the white text B version didn't show up until the Model 2.

Originally Posted by A Black Falcon

That's possible, I'm not certain. The model 1 certainly started with A, though.

The later Model 1s were packed with the white text version controller, these were the Model 1s without the "High Definition Graphics" written on them.

[TonyTheTiger]

That's...odd. My Model 1 doesn't have the High Definition text but I know for certain it came with controller A. In fact, it's the only Controller A that I own. Now maybe my Genesis is like the earliest version of the textless Model 1 (I hear there are plenty) so it still came with controller A at the time but maybe Sega randomly tossed controllers around with no pattern during the Model 1's lifespan before settling on B. Remaining stock they needed to get rid of?

[crrimson]

I have A, D, and E. My favorite being D, the best 6 button controller ever made!

[Battlehork]

There's also a Model 1 Samsung controller with the updated logo:

[Gameguy]

Originally Posted by TonyTheTiger

That's...odd. My Model 1 doesn't have the High Definition text but I know for certain it came with controller A. In fact, it's the only Controller A that I own. Now maybe my Genesis is like the earliest version of the textless Model 1 (I hear there are plenty) so it still came with controller A at the time but maybe Sega randomly tossed controllers around with no pattern during the Model 1's lifespan before settling on B. Remaining stock they needed to get rid of?

I assume it's just old stock that they mixed together, whatever parts they still had they threw together. I've seen systems and parts not match the box art for the boxes they've come in. All I know is that the white text controller was around when they were still making Model 1s, they weren't made specifically for Model 2s(I assumed they started to be made when they changed the design of the Model 1s). Some systems have the "High Definition Graphics" but are the later Model 1s with the lockout chip added, they just had older cases still in stock and used those.

My Genesis was the Model 1 that came packed with Sonic the Hedgehog, it's an early version without a lockout chip and it came with the red text controller. I don't have the box anymore to compare to the box art, but I really thought the systems already had the lockout chips by then(meaning mine was an older unit that was still in stock).