Aren't Mega Drive games a bit old?
Stonehenge is old and woodhenge (just around the corner from stonehenge) is also old. The Mega Drive was released in Japan in 1989 and revolutionised the 16-bit era of video games. This period in videogame history saw a fierce competition between Sega's Mega Drive (Genesis in the US) and Nintendo's SNES. For the avoidance of doubt, the Mega Drive was better. 16-bit games do not require an internet connection, save states or help menus and are much more hardcore than modern games which overlook the same tired gameplay with storyline and graphics. Seriously, videogames peaked with GTA: San Andreas.

£10? Do you expect me pay that to play old videogames?
We agree that the price is somewhat low, but you are more than welcome to contribute more. Each tournament offers a unique videogame experience, with the games used altered for each event. For six-hours of pure videogame nostalgia you really do get an amazing bargain.

Is there a dress code for the Mega Drive Championships?
There is no official dress code for the tournaments, however, we strongly encourage people to come dressed up as dinosaurs or trees.

What is the NVA?
The National Videogame Arcade are our current hosts in the city of Nottingham. They boast an incredible three floors of videogame history and a cafe where tournament players are able to buy coffee for the Tournament Administrators.

How long have you been doing Mega Drive Tournaments?
The First Mega Drive Championship took place in January 2001 and tournaments have been held across Europe, in the USA and Brazil during our history. Between 2007-2010 there was an annual European Mega Drive Championship where we found an excuse to travel across Europe, see some sights, have a night out and play Mega Drive. Portugal usually won the tournaments.

What are the rules?
Wherever possible, we will endeavour to make these up as we go along. The tournament is currently structured as a leaderboard, with each player entering a set number of rounds. Points are awarded as follows: 4-points for a win, 2-points for finishing as second and 1-point to both third and fourth (or reaching the semi-finals in a knockout game). Games are announced in advance of each tournament and usually changed on the day! Participating is usually its own reward; with many players commenting how long it has been since they enjoyed classic 16-bit gaming.

Why does it take so long to update the website?
Because we have lives outside of the Mega Drive Championship website. Besides, when updates do occur, they contain considerably more purity and awesome than any other website. Our first website lived on the now defunct Geocities and our current domain is approaching 15-years old. Our article archive spans back to the First Mega Drive Championship, which took place in 2001.

How do the rankings work and how do I get into the top 25/10/who is the best player ever?
Ummm, ok the nerdy stuff: Ranking percentages are loosely based upon a points scored per game ratio and weighted based on a "perfect obtainable score" which was achieved by Mr Smith at the Third Mega Drive Championship. Bonus points are awarded for winning a tournament. For those who battled during the golden European era, a country weight is added, so the relative skill of each domestic competition is used in ranks. In order to reach the top 25, you would need to have scored approximately 1.5-points per game. In order to reach the top 10, approximately 1.7-points per game should be enough. The current #1, Dário Pelixo, has scored 205 points over 117 games, won 3 Portuguese Mega Drive Championships and 3 European Mega Drive Championships and has 91.74% relative to the "perfect obtainable score". Simple :)

What is the Kid Chameleon Editor and where do I find it?
For a good number of years we have hosted the Kid Chameleon Editor. However, many popular search engines erroneously believe this to be a virus. To be fair, we don’t know anything about programming executable files (the old fashioned name for app), so it could well be. The Kid Chameleon Editor allows you to download and edit the levels in the awesome platformer Kid Chameleon. Email requests can be made to admin@megadrivechamps.org and we will be happy to send a copy to you.

Are there any conditions for entering a tournament?
Yes, the following terms and conditions apply to all people who participate in the Mega Drive Championships:

The Mega Drive Championships consents to all these terms and conditions on your behalf and reserves the right to levy a fee or administration charges for these services and charge interest upon such fees at a rate determined by them. Failure to attend the any Mega Drive Championship means your goods may be seized and sold by the Beloved Tournament Administration and/or their agents. No marriage, love affair - passionate or otherwise, birth of any child, employment, deal with the devil or any other religious or spiritual figure or demon dismisses the Tournament Administrators claim upon your soul, which is absolute and binding in its entirety and for perpetuity. Leaving the Mega Drive Championships in no way surrenders any claim of ownership the Mega Drive Championships has upon you. It is reaffirmed that, by participating in a Mega Drive Championship, you have surrendered yourself in life to the will and whims of the Tournament Administrators and death does not frustrate this arrangement. No notice may be given and no law, sovereignty or jurisdiction is recognised as superior or binding upon the Mega Drive Championships. Any failure to adhere to the Benevolent Tournament Administrators; their decrees, commands, polite requests, however arising, renders you liable to pay the Mega Drive Championships compensation and penalty charges with no limitation on the total amount owed and any such claim is not to be restricted by reasonableness, fairness or justice. Equally, any alleged liability that may be placed upon the Mega Drive Championship for whatever reason, especially our negligence, including death, destruction and limb lossage, is hereby excluded. Your actions do not bind the Mega Drive Championships and no other term and condition of contract as forms part of our arrangement. The Mega Drive Championships reserves the right to unilaterally amend and extend any of these terms and conditions without notice and, at any time whatsoever, to include new, unfair and oppressive terms not limited in their scope by any form of law or jurisdiction and to charge you for this. The Mega Drive Championships claims a retrospective jurisdiction over you, which was established at the beginning of time and is not extinguished by time ending. All appeals are hereby denied. We also own all your houseplants.