Hardware Review: The Genesis / Mini Mega Drive Finally Does Sega's History Justice

[ad_1]

Miniaturized consoles are nothing new to Sega has been releasing them long before Nintendo's Classic NES and SNES consoles took the spotlight. The plug-and-play systems it produced in collaboration with AtGames However, things are finally changing for the future of plug-and-play console, the Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive, if you prefer) Mini.

Sega has lost its all (and then some) in this miniaturized Sega Genesis Model-1; it comes with MOST of the bells and whistles of the original and is jam-packed with 42 games that have been made by the emulation masters themselves, M2. This is a Sega Genesis Mini has to offer.

Sega Genesis Mini: The Hardware

The miniaturized Sega Genesis Mini looks absolutely adorable, especially close it's original '90s Model-1 counterpart. From the tiny yet functional power button, this console oozes charm. The Sega Genesis Mini receives power through a standard micro USB port and connects to your TV through HDMI, and all necessary cables are included in the box – which looks just like the one you'll be back in the early '90s, assuming you were old enough to own one.

However, it's not quite perfect; we do wish the console itself was built a little sturdier. The plastic is not thin by any means, but feels a little on the light end. More, the console is lacking any sort of rubber grips on its bottom to keep it in place. One wrong tug of a controller during a heated match of Street Fighter II could easily send the flying system. Ongame Sega clones, but it's not quite at the same level as Nintendo's micro-consoles.

Two replica Genesis (3 Button) controllers are also included and they look and feel just as good as you remember, if not better. Buttons are tight and responsive, and the floatiness found in the original controller's D-Pad is missing in this version. Each controller also comes with a 6-foot USB cord (unlike the Pitiful 3-foot string on the NES and SNES Classic controllers), said the unreliable Wireless IR sensors that used AtGames for their controllers in the past.

These controllers scream quality and are exactly what you want to find in a premium first-party product – we have no idea why Sega did not choose to bundle the top six-button pad which Japan is getting. As it stands, it's a pain to play titles like Street Fighter II ': Special Champion Edition with this pad, as you go back to the beginning We can only assume that we went with the original pad design because it's what fans will remember; at least it's possible to buy replacement pads for use with the console.

Sega Genesis Mini: The Games

The Sega Genesis Comes with a whopping 42 games, featuring a slew of Sega published titles and a few springs of Capcom, Konami and a few others. You will not find any unlicensed shovelware here.

You'll also want to keep in mind that each region's list of games will vary. So you're planning to order yourself at Mega Drive Mini from Japan, you'll have a different line up of games.

Western Exclusives:

Available In All Regions (Genesis & Mega Drive):

Not only did the second generation of the game come to life on the Genesis Mini versus the number one in the SNES Classic, but also outperforms due to the quality of its titles. It includes a majority of the classics of Phantasy Star, Sonic, Streets of Rage and Toejam & Earl, like Castlevania: Bloodlines, Contra: Hard Body, to name a few. Sega even tossed in a few bonus titles, (because why not, right?) Like the (kinda) never-released tetris and a brand new port of Darius.

The Sega Genesis Mini also includes a handful of simultaneous multiplayer titles. You can clean the streets with a friend in Streets of Rage 2, then take on each other in Street Fighter II (as long as you do not mind swapping buttons, as we mentioned earlier). Then, when the battle is finally over, you can jump right back into a chaotic match of Tetris.

Sega has made sure to include a wide variety of titles and is not overindulging* Cough * Ristar, Rocket Knight Adventures, Sonic 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Ate My Neighbors Zombies * Cough *) we would understand it would be impossible to please everyone. Even if it's all over the world, it's not enough to keep you happy.

Sega Genesis Mini: Performance

Sega has had quite the reputation of releasing some fairly awesome clone consoles in the past with AtGames. Their consoles and controllers have been made cheaply, but they have been severely unkempt, leaving games broken or completely brutalized soundtracks and effects, ultimately making them a mess to play. Thankfully Sega has hired back the folks who have worked on the Sega Ages line of games to handle the emulation, M2. Needless to say, they've done an excellent job and should be proud of the effort they've put in.

Games play flawlessly, and they should be in the modern era. Some purists may be able to notice minor inconsistencies between these and their original versions but any differences that might have been not apparent to us. The Genesis Mini outputs has 720p image with a few possible image settings. You're able to select a standard 4: 3 gold stretched aspect ratio, and beyond the ability to slap one of two wallpapers behind your game, there really is not much else to your image.

Nintendo's rival systems, but it's pretty clean and does not work without your hiccups. Selecting a game will give you a briefing on the title or will it be released. You're also able to get the library by alphabet, genre, the year they released, and the maximum number of players.

Yuzo Koshiro, Composer of the Streets of Rage series, is one of the most popular themes in the world. It's an original tune exclusive to the Genesis Mini that was created with the same Yamaha 2612 sound chip found in the original Genesis.

One nice leg up on the competitors is the ability to return to the homepage. When playing a game, hold the button on your controller for a few seconds and you'll be taken to a menu where you can save your current progress, load an old save state, reset the game or simply return to the home menu. . It's a nice touch that our late night legs are extremely thankful they included.

Sega Genesis Mini: The Verdict

While the Genesis can not be traced and infinitely replayable titles as SNES did, it still has a treasure trove of great games that are begging to be rediscovered and the Genesis Mini features some of the best of the best. It's the most important thing. More, with the added addition of save states, more will have the courage to venture through some of these toughest challenges. It's obvious that it was not just another product for Sega. The Genesis Mini is a well-crafted love letter to Genesis and Sega fans alike and is well-deserving of the Sega Genesis Seal of Quality.