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This emulator is built by editing and adding to existing open-source software: OpenEmu and GenesisPlus (the latest version of which is GenesisPlusGX)
While the glitches, visual effects, in-game switching and extra UI are my own work, the task of emulating Mega Drive hardware in the first place was not done by me, but by the creators of the above software.
These developers have put in an incredible amount of skill and effort that has made it possible to make these weird experiments. So if you like what I'm doing, please donate to GenesisPlus and OpenEmu.
Installation for Mac OS
Step 1: Install OpenEmu
Download OpenEmu from openemu.org.
Install and run OpenEmu
If you are running MacOS 10.15 (Catalina, you may need see an alert like the one below.
If this happens, select OpenEmu.app in Finder, right-click and press Open. A second menu will appear with three options. Press Open to begin.
Navigate to OpenEmu > Preferences, and select the Cores tab.
Next to GenesisPlus click on the Update or Install button if there is one.
Step 2: Install Alistair's Magic Box as a core
Download Alistair's Magic Box 1.08 from this link
Unzip the file MagicBox.zip you have just downloaded
Copy and paste the file GenesisPlus.oecoreplugin into the folder
~/Library/Application Support/OpenEmu/Cores/
replacing the version that is currently there
If you can't find this folder on your computer, open Terminal and type in
open ~/Library/Application\ Support/OpenEmu/Cores/
Open OpenEmu and drag-and-drop a Sega Genesis ROM into the Sega Mega Drive pane
Double click on your game.
If you are running MacOS 10.15 (Catalina, you may need see an alert like the one below.
If this happens, select your version copy of GenesisPlus.oecoreplugin in the Cores folder, right-click and press Open. A second menu will appear with three options. Press Open to allow the game to play. You may need to Quit OpenEmu (Cmd + Q) and open it again.
After a few seconds the game should freeze and take you to the screen below.
Step 3: Add games to the Magic Box
Copy and paste the Sega Genesis ROMs you want to play into
~/Library/Application Support/OpenEmu/AlistairBox
When you have, run a Sega Genesis game in OpenEmu. After a few seconds the game should freeze and take you to the screen below.
If you see your games listed then the installation has worked and you are ready to play!
Step 4: Playing games
Press start to navigate to the next menu and see the controls
Choose a game from the selection of those you have copied in. Press start to move on.
Choose which hack you want to run. If you run a Sonic game there will be versions of these hacks that are not available to other games. Press start to move on.
The game will begin with the hack you have selected.
You can choose which keys are mapped to the X, Y and Z buttons by navigating to OpenEmu > Preferences and selecting the Controls tab.
Press X, Y or Z on your controller to reset the console and return to this menu.
FAQs
Where do I get Sega Genesis ROMs?
Unfortunately I cannot share game ROMs. You will need to find them yourself.
Which games do you recommend?
You can use this with any Genesis games you like.
However, but there are special hacks (e.g. switching games when you collect a ring) which only work with the following games:
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
The following games work with some of the special Sonic-only hacks but not all of them:
Sonic 3D Blast
Will there be a Windows version?
Hopefully there will, but it's unlikely I'll have it ready before 2021. The current code is written in Objective-C so it needs quite a bit of work to port!
What about Sonic Spinball, Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic CD?
I'm in the process of making the Sonic-specific hacks work with Sonic Spinball and Sonic 3D Blast. I don't know if it will be possible to add support for Sonic CD yet, but I think it unlikely.
I have an idea/request!
Excellent - I'd be delighted to hear from you! Message me on Twitter: @agAitcheson