SEGA Model 2

SEGA Model 2 is an arcade system board that SEGA released in 1993, following the flat-shaded polygons of Model 1. Its graphics hardware, developed with help from GE Aerospace, added texture mapping and filtering, which made its games look far more detailed than anything on home systems at the time.

The first game on the board was Daytona USA, which became one of the best-selling arcade games ever. It was followed by Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter 2, SEGA Rally Championship, The House of the Dead, Dead or Alive and many others.

There were several revisions. The original Model 2 and Model 2A used a Fujitsu geometry processor, Model 2B switched to an Analog Devices SHARC DSP, and the cheaper Model 2C, from 1996, used a faster Fujitsu TGPx4.

Model 2 games were only partly ported to home consoles. The Saturn versions of Daytona USA and Virtua Fighter 2 had to be heavily cut back, so emulation is the easiest way to play the arcade originals today.

ElSemi’s Model 2 Emulator is still the most complete option for this board, with most games playable. MAME also emulates Model 2 and has made good progress in recent years.