Taking a closer look at the Everdrive (HD) - Nov 13, 2010 06:27 AM
1http://www.retrode.org/
Is a cool device that allows you to read your Megadrive/Genesis and Snes carts on your computer so that you can use the game in a different format for use on portable devices (Gp2x, Wiz, Canoo, Pandora etc).
Different plug-in adapters are being developed to be able to use the carts from other game systems as well. So running the game file from a game you own on another system than the original console is possible now.
http://www.krikzz.com/
http://www.stoneagegamer.com/
The Everdrive allows you to use a standard SD cart as a multigame cart. Mind you I do have an extensive Genesis/Megadrive and Sega Mastersystem collection and this cart together with the Retrode allows me to store all those games on a SD-card for use on my model 1 Megadrive J (Ntsc), Model 1 Megadrive PAL, Model 2 Megadrive J (PAL), Model 2 Megadrive PAL without having to worry about wear and tear on the cartridge slots and the carts. It is convenient as well and allows me to check out homebrew Genesis/Megadrive games on the genuine hardware as well.
There's quite a decent Super Mario port on the Genesis/Megadrive, a very cool Berzerk port worth playing.
Mind you this is NOT emulation, this is using binary files read from genuine game carts off a SD-card with help of a specialized Genesis/Megadrive cart with it's own OS feeding the original code to the console as if the original game cart was inserted into the console. This device merely allows you to use the game code you own in another shape.
Of course this device could be used to pirate all the games but I am really not into that kind of thing. I won't go in discussion about the legal issues involving emulation as this discussion is abundant all over the web.
I for one will still be pickup up the Genesis and Megadrive games I want to play and own regardless of this device. Using it does cause less wear and tear on the cartridge slot in my console as well as the carts I do own. So I think the Everdrive is a good way to preserve the games I love.
This video was created using:
- PAL Megadrive model 1 EU system
- PAL Megadrive model 2 Jap system
- NTSC Megadrive model 1 Jap system
- PAL Megadrive model 2 EU System connected to MegaCD
- 32x PAL hooked up to my Model 1 EU system