Overview
“Genesis does what Nintendon’t.” Blast Processing became Sega’s rallying cry in the console wars—a marketing term that referenced the Mega Drive’s 7.67MHz processor versus the SNES’s 3.58MHz. Whether this speed advantage translated to meaningful gameplay differences remained debatable, but the term stuck. It represented an era when technical specifications drove console identity.
Fast facts
- Origin: Sega of America marketing.
- Era: Early 1990s console wars.
- Reality: CPU clock speed difference.
- Legacy: Marketing case study.
Technical basis
| Specification | Mega Drive | SNES |
|---|
| CPU speed | 7.67MHz | 3.58MHz |
| CPU type | Motorola 68000 | Ricoh 5A22 |
| Advantage | Raw speed | Co-processors |
Marketing campaign
| Element | Approach |
|---|
| Slogans | Direct comparison |
| Tone | Aggressive |
| Target | Teen audience |
| Effect | Brand differentiation |
Technical reality
| Aspect | Analysis |
|---|
| DMA tricks | Actual technique |
| Scroll speed | Visible difference |
| Overall power | Debatable |
| Game quality | Title-dependent |
Console war context
| Factor | Impact |
|---|
| Market position | Sega challenger |
| Differentiation | Speed as identity |
| Sonic showcase | Speed demonstrated |
| Debate | Ongoing fan arguments |
See also