MD.emu (Genesis Emulator)

About

MD.emu is a Genesis/Mega Drive/CD & Master System/Mark III emulator that provides a single-player arcade experience. It offers a wide range of classic games from these platforms, but some users have reported bugs that may impact gameplay. Despite these issues, it remains a popular choice among fans of retro gaming.

Genres & Tags

Arcade

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 838 reviews

optimization4 positive mentions

stability16 negative mentions

The emulator provides excellent performance with smooth gameplay and accurate sound, making it a top choice for Sega Genesis and Mega Drive games.
It supports a wide range of ROMs, including Sega CD and Master System games, and offers customizable controls for a better gaming experience.
The developer is responsive and frequently updates the app, ensuring ongoing improvements and support for users.

Sega CD emulation is still buggy, with many games failing to load or crashing, which detracts from the overall experience.
There is a lack of support for 32X games, which limits the library of available titles for users who want to play those classics.
Some users have reported issues with the app not recognizing ROMs on SD cards and experiencing black screens, indicating potential compatibility problems.

stability
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
84%
The stability of the emulator is frequently criticized, with users reporting consistent freezing issues, particularly during Sega CD emulation and when launching certain games. While many games run smoothly, significant bugs, such as freezing at the Sega logo or title screens, detract from the overall experience. Users express hope for future updates to address these stability concerns, which could improve their ratings.
- “Everything runs great, just little tweaks here and there and 5 stars for sure.”
- “Everything I've tried so far runs great, even some of the mid-'90s Konami and Treasure games known for maximizing the capabilities of the Genesis hardware, such as Contra: Hard Corps and Gunstar Heroes.”
- “App runs great and is fairly easy to use with Genesis and has good controller support.”
- “You can sometimes get farther unzipping everything, but it still freezes most of the time on otherwise working games.”
- “It just freezes on the Sega logo.”
- “The second any game opens and goes to the title screen, it all freezes in a very short loop.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The music aspect of the emulator has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its smooth and clear sound quality, while others express frustration over the lack of support for music in certain games, particularly Mega CD titles. Issues such as odd prioritization of sound channels and interruptions in playback have also been noted, leading to a desire for improved music functionality in future updates. Overall, while some users find the music experience satisfactory, many are disappointed by the current limitations.
- “After using gensoid and having my battery life cut in half, this is truly awesome. It makes you realize how poor the emulation on other emulators is; this is smooth and crystal clear music and appears in my Xperia Play. It's worth every penny.”
- “Music plays perfectly also.”
- “Awesome emulator, works a charm, games work smoothly without lag, and music is in perfect sync.”
- “Does need sound chip looked at; hi-hats are oddly prioritized as a main channel, leading to some songs sounding off.”
- “I wish it wouldn't cut the music I was listening to when it kicks up.”
- “I bought this exclusively to play Earthworm Jim Special Edition, but the music doesn't work, even after lots of tinkering and research.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, users appreciate the lack of ads and hidden costs in the emulator, highlighting its smooth performance and user-friendly interface. However, some express dissatisfaction with misleading advertising regarding CD support, which affects their rating. The consensus leans towards a positive view of the monetization model, particularly for those seeking a free and ad-free experience.
- “It has no ads and is just brilliant!”
- “Plus: no ads, more options, and a very smooth and aesthetic UI.”
- “Games run smoothly, no ads, cheat code functionality... everything I need.”
- “This gets 1 star rather than 2 or 3, because you're falsely advertising CD support and charging money.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, users note a significant improvement in graphics with the introduction of new shaders, enhancing the visual experience of games. While early 32-bit cartridge graphics were considered subpar compared to PC games, the current emulation offers smooth, aesthetic user interfaces and compatibility with various graphic plugins, resulting in a visually pleasing experience. Players appreciate the perfect sound and graphics quality, particularly in classic titles like Virtua Racing.
- “Plus: no ads, more options, and a very smooth and aesthetic UI.”
- “Update: the new hqx2 shader makes the graphics look better; love this emulator.”
- “Plays every game perfectly (including Virtua Racing), with perfect sound and graphics; very lovely.”
- “Graphics were terrible back then compared to PC games.”
- “More graphic plug-in compatibility.”
- “Update: new hqx2 shader makes graphics look better, love this emulator.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the gameplay experience is smooth and reminiscent of the original games, with effective emulation and appealing filters. However, some users report issues with audio recording during gameplay and occasional freezing in specific titles, along with a somewhat cumbersome saving mechanism. Additionally, there are requests for more customizable button layouts to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “No crashes, smooth gameplay, everything is just like the original!”
- “Gameplay is smooth, saving is a little kludgy, but works great!”
- “Very nice, but on some games (like Sonic Chaos), the game freezes right when the gameplay starts.”
- “Emulation is great, love the filters, just wish I could line the buttons vertically on the side so as not to obstruct gameplay.”
- “When I want to record a video via another app on my phone to capture gameplay since I stream often, it doesn't let the audio from the emulator be recorded onto the video.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The emulator is highly praised for its exceptional optimization, particularly on the Nvidia Shield, delivering smooth performance, accurate gameplay, and reliable controls. Users report a fantastic frame rate and overall excellent support, although the absence of a Game Genie feature is noted. Overall, it is considered the best optimized emulator for supported Sega systems on mobile devices.
- “The performance of this app on the Nvidia Shield is fantastic.”
- “Easily the best optimized emulator on phones for the supported Sega systems.”
- “Otherwise, a really good emulator that runs smoothly, accurately, and reliably.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to challenging controls and the lack of save states, which makes progress feel cumbersome and difficult to manage.
- “Setting it up is incredibly tedious, and without save states, it's impossible to play due to controls.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game nostalgic, as it evokes cherished memories and a sense of time travel to happier moments, creating a heartwarming experience that resonates deeply.
- “Feels like I'm time traveling back to the good ol' days, cherishing the heartwarming memories again, whenever and wherever.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express satisfaction with the limited number of games available, indicating that the replayability may be constrained but still enjoyable for those few titles.