The Sega CD was a peripheral developed for Sega's Genesis console. It was an add-on tray that sat underneath the Genesis system. A smaller version was also developed for Sega's Genesis II console, and this version of the CD-ROM accessory was cheaper, smaller in size, and was a top-loading drive rather than a tray like the original Sega CD.

The Sega CD wasn't very successful in North America--mainly because the single-speed drive had long loading times, and the quality of games wasn't very good. Even though the device could play full-motion video, the 64-color graphics were less than impressive. Many people also confused the add-on with the 32X, which was another Genesis accessory released around the same time as the Sega CD.

It's been said that the Sega CD marked the beginning of the end for Sega. Consumers started to lose trust with Sega after the expensive add-on failed to impress. Certainly games featuring full-motion video sounded appealing at first, but ultimately, they were no different than the laserdisc games of the time which were both a commercial and critical disappointment.

Today, the Sega CD continues to live on long after its death. The peripheral is appealing to classic game collectors that enjoy the unit as a curio piece instead of for the quality of its games or graphics. One reason for this could be due to the hype that surrounded the Night Trap game upon its initial release. This particular title fell under scrutiny as it was deemed offensive, and along with Mortal Kombat, was a game that led to the development of the ESRB game industry ratings system.