Salnax on 17 January 2024
The back and forth between the SNES and Genesis is interesting. The SNES in particular was part of fairly different marketplaces in 1991 and 1995.
If I had to make a narrative out of this:
- 1991 - Sonic 1 is released and does well, but only sells a million copies in the USA during 1991. Meanwhile, we know the SNES sold at least 4.5 million in the USA that year, thanks in large part to being bundled with Super Mario World, the most anticipated game of the gen up to that point.
- 1992 - This was the year when the Genesis took the lead in the USA. Sonic became the staple bundled game with teh Genesis, its price dropped from $149.99 to $129.99 (or $99.99 sans Sonic), Sonic 2 was arguably the biggest exclusive of the year, and we know that sorts games were having a field day on the Genesisat the time (Madden NFL 93, NHLPA Hockey 93, and Real Deal Boxing were each best-selling games later in the year on the Genesis). The SNES was doing fine during this era between first party titles and Street Fighter, but it was a strong year for the Genesis.
- 1993 - This was the year of the Genesis 2, Sonic 2 bundles, Disney's Aladdin, Mortal Kombat, X-Men, Madden NFL 94, and the Sega CD. Note a particularly strong Q4. Meanwhile, the SNES was sort of between system sellers this year, with Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart in the past and DKC in the future.
- 1994 - The Genesis's last big year in the limelight. The big games of 1994 were largely multiplatform games like NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat II, but you also had Sonic 3 & Knuckles. THe big SNES game of the year, DKC, came too late to turn the tide.
- 1995 - Sega was floundering with the Saturn and the PS1 only launched in September. Meanwhile, the SNES was enjoying a Renaissance with games like DKC 1 & 2, Yoshi's Island, Killer Instinct, and Mortal Kombat 3.
