Well by playing and owning both consoles, I must say that there is no competition they are both awesome

I sincerely prefer the Genesis/Mega Drive from both a hardware and library standpoint, even though each console has it's strenghts...



CPU: This is the only point where the Genesis is definetly superior to the Super Nintendo. SEGA's console runs on the Motorola 68000 16-bit CPU (the same one used in many 80's computers), which is known for it's extremely high proccessing speed and simple programming language, while Nintendo's behemoth runs on a lesser-known chipset that had to have it's clockspeed cut down so that it could work with the cartridge standard the company created. Making games for the slow SNES was a tough task while programming for the faster Genesis was much easier, which kept many companies from working on Nintendo's console. Fun fact: Treasure, my favorite videogame developer of all time, was founded in 1992 by Konami programmers tired of working on the endless sequels and ports pumped by the company, mostly because of how hard it was to program for the slughish SNES.



Graphics : Graphics are where the Genesis falters most, with a measly color pallete of 512 colors (64 on-screen) and three graphical layers (sprite layer + up to two background layers), while the SNES could render 32,768 colors (256 on-screen) in up to six graphical layers, with additional transparency effects and background scaling and rotation (A.K.A. MODE-7, since it ran on a "hidden" seventh layer). However, with smart programming tricks and special chips, the Genesis' graphics can easily surpass the Super Nintendo's in every aspect - some great examples of what the console could do when pushed to it's limits are present in Treasure's, Konami's and Zyrinx's games.



Sound: Both the SNES and the Genesis' sound capabilities were very advanced for the time, but each one used different sound techonolgies. SEGA's console uses a blend of frequency-module (FM) synth, pulse-sound generation (PSG) and PCM sampling produced by Yamaha, while the SNES is equipped with a PCM-only soundchip made by Sony (!!!) that runs on instrument samples. Electronica and rock 'n roll always sounds much better on the Yamaha 2612, while orchestrated and ambient songs fit better on the Sony SPC-700. Yuzo Koshiro, a freelance videogame music composer whose most famous works are the 90's-techno influenced soundtracks for SEGA's Streets Of Rage trilogy, also worked on the cult-classic ActRaiser, which is famous among SNES lovers for it's brilliant gameplay and bombastic orchestra-like soundtrack, thus showing what both consoles could do under good hands.



Since the Genesis has a much faster CPU, action-packed games such as shoot-em-ups and run 'n guns - my two favorite genres - are abundant on it's library, while the SNES has a bigger selection of RPGs (a genre which I'm not very interested into). I also LOVE the way electronica (Streets Of Rage 1-3; Alien Soldier; Zyrinx's games) and rock 'n roll (Thunder Force 2-4) sound on the Yamaha 2612, thus making me be a SEGA maniac.

Elpizo : I would prefer the Snes because it has better games than the sega genesis. There are games such are Super Mario World.Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and so much more!

Personally, I don't think I have played the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, then again, I may have, the name rings a bell (uncanny pun).



But my dad owned a Sega Genesis, I loved Sonic The Hedgehog on there, but he has sold it now, stupidly, I would have paid quite a lot of money for it, but he sold it to his friend at work for £20, I would have paid around £400 and I'm not even lying, considering how great the condition was.



But now I can have those memories of Classic Sonic The Hedgehog on PS2/PS3.



Sonic Gems Collection

Sonic Mega Collection +

Sonic Generations (PS3/3DS).



I would have wanted to keep and treasure that Sega Genesis, my dad should feel guilty, as he has hardly been there for me, and give me something old and valuable, it has really annoyed me and offended me, considering he lets his friends borrow his games, and most likely never to receive the games again back.

Genesis for Sonic over Mario, Super Nintendo over Genesis in cool miscellaneous games.
(Also, 600th post ever!)

Super Nintendo beats Sega Genesis easily. The graphics and sounds are were superior and besides super nintendo had better controllers but I won't put down Sega Genesis because it's a very fun console as well. 

To be honest what makes the game fun is ussually because the storyline and the music.

I would go with the Sega Genesis. Why the Genesis you may ask, it's all because Sonic the Hedgehog.

LukeHayesII : I found your post. Don't know how I over looked it. That really stinks. You could try and find one in a local game store, craigslist, or online. Not sure where you live but you didn't use a dollar sign so I am assuming that its not the US. The MegaDrive should be just as cheap or cheaper in Europe. Do you have a Craigslist or Craigslist like site?