In a remarkable turn of events for gaming enthusiasts, the year 2025 has witnessed the groundbreaking release of Ares v146, introducing the first-ever emulator support for Mega LD titles originating from the Pioneer LaserActive console.
The LaserActive: A Forgotten Gem
Even the most dedicated retro gaming aficionados might not be well-acquainted with the LaserActive—a high-end LaserDisc player launched in 1994, designed to accommodate swappable hardware modules. These modules allowed compatibility with Sega Genesis and NEC TurboGrafx-16 games, as well as enabling use of controllers from those systems.
The LaserActive featured a unique format, merging game data and graphics with up to 60 minutes of full-screen, standard-definition analog video per side, resulting in a distinct gaming experience.
The Mega LD Titles
The Mega-LD games, as the LaserActive titles compatible with the Genesis were known, were often elaborated versions of typical games from the early CD-ROM era. These included:
- Edutainment titles
- Branching dungeon crawlers
- Dragon’s Lair-style animated quick-time event challenges
- Rail shooters that combined standard graphics with elaborate animated video backdrops, often featuring live actors.
A Cult Following
Despite its high price tag—$970 for the base unit, $600 for console add-on modules, and $120 for LaserDisc games during the ’90s—the LaserActive garnered limited attention in the gaming world, with total sales across Japan and the US estimated at around 10,000 units. Nonetheless, a dedicated group of fans has emerged, passionate about tracking down the elusive hardware and software to experience the few ’90s console games that were previously inaccessible through emulation.
“I really don’t think it would be very hard to do,”
remarked Nemesis, the coder behind the new emulator. After investing over 15 years in mastering the intricacies of the LaserActive, Nemesis has finally made this once-obscure console accessible to a wider audience. An insightful interview with Nemesis in the Read Only Memo newsletter sheds light on this long-standing passion project.
