¶ Technical data
- Manufacturer: Sega, in collaboration with Real3D (Lockheed Martin)
- Year of release: 1996
- Type: arcade system
- CPU: IBM PowerPC 603ev (66 to 166 MHz depending on the revision, known as Steps)
- Video: Real3D Pro-1000
- Sound: Motorola 68000 and two Yamaha SCSP chips
- Resolution: 496x384
- Media: cartridge (ROM board)
- Controller: mandatory
¶ Presentation
The Model 3 is Sega's high-end arcade system, unveiled in 1996 and designed with Real3D, a Lockheed Martin division that came from the world of military flight simulators. At launch it was the most powerful real-time 3D hardware ever put in a cabinet, far ahead of the home consoles of the day.
Its strength came from the Real3D Pro-1000 graphics chipset, able to display textured scenes with hardware filtering and lighting at a time when the competition was still drawing flat polygons. The system went through several successive revisions, Steps 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.1, each raising the processor clock and extending the graphics capabilities.
The Model 3 library is a distillation of Sega's arcade golden age: Virtua Fighter 3, Scud Race, Daytona USA 2, Sega Rally 2, Star Wars Trilogy Arcade, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Virtual On Oratorio Tangram, Spikeout and Emergency Call Ambulance. Many of those titles never received a worthy console port, which makes their emulation all the more valuable.
¶ Emulators
New in Recalbox 10.1: Supermodel gains roughly 15% FPS on RPi5.
Emulator availability per board:
| Emulator | RPI3/RPI02W | RPI4/400 | RPI5/500 | OGA/OGS/RG351 | PC | RG353 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supermodel | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
The Model 3 is only available on RPi5/500 and PC. The system is too demanding for the RPi3, RPi Zero 2, RPi4/400, OGA/OGS/RG351 and RG353.
Supermodel is the only emulator for this system, and therefore the default one. It is a standalone emulator (not a libretro core): it offers high compatibility and speed and works on a CRT display. Netplay, softpatching, RetroAchievements and light guns are not supported on this system. No BIOS file is required.
To play on a real cabinet, Recalbox 10.1 brings Recalbox JVS support (firmware 2.9) — the interface for recent JVS-standard cabinets, presented on its Kickstarter — and automatic arcade stick configuration on every system. For a cabinet with a JAMMA harness, the Recalbox RGB JAMMA 2 kit is what you need.
¶ Roms
Put your games in:
/recalbox/share/roms/model3/
Supported extension: .zip
Games are MAME-style romsets: leave them zipped, do not rename or extract them. The romset must match the version of Supermodel shipped with Recalbox. Even on RPi5, the heaviest titles (Daytona USA 2, Spikeout) remain demanding: if a game stutters, lower the rendering resolution in the emulator options.
Also have a look at the Sega Model 3 guide for game preparation, configuration and system-specific tips.