Sega has finally done the thing we've been waiting for since the launch of the Nintendo Classic; it has launched its own retro game console. The Sega Genesis Mini is Sega's offering and oo-wee are we excited to see what this little machine has to offer.
Let's have a look at what we know so far.
New Mini madness
The last console in the holy triumvirate is here. The Sega Genesis Mini, with its 40 games onboard, is shaping up to be an exciting proposition for any retro game fan.
What's new with the Sega Genesis Mini?
April 19, 2019: The next 10 games
Sega has announced the next 10 games in its 40-game lineup. Titles include Sonic the Hedgehog 2 — that makes sense, it's the best one — as well as cult favorites such as Earthworm Jim. Earthworm Jim is one of my favorite Genesis games, with its comic graphics and unique platform style. Its inclusion in the list makes me want this Genesis more.
You can find the full list of games in the games section below.
April 3, 2019: Preorder links updated
Sega has finally updated its website to include the proper preorder links. We have updated our links to direct you to Amazon. Not only will Amazon receive a large supply of Mini's it also has that wonderful two-day Prime shipping that we all love so much.
If you don't have Amazon Prime but you buy stuff from there at least once a month, it really is worth heading over here and signing up. You will get two-day shipping and a plethora of other great features.
What is a Sega Genesis?
The Genesis — also known as the Mega Drive in the world outside North America — is one of the greatest consoles from the golden age of cartridge gaming. Graphically superior to anything on the market before it, in 1989 it was the console to own.
When I was but a young lad, the Genesis seemed to be the pinnacle of gaming and underscored how Sega would be the undisputed king of games for the rest of time. Yeah, I was young and foolish ... but it was still amazing at the time.
What's in the box?
The Genesis Mini comes with everything you need to start playing straight away. Unlike the PlayStation Classic, Sega will include a power adapter along with a USB power cord. We haven't seen the back of the console so we don't know what type of USB it uses but it's likely to be Micro USB like the other mini consoles.
It also comes complete with an HDMI port, which is handy, as well two original-looking game controllers. Have I mentioned how much I love that all these mini consoles come with two controllers? It's such a great idea.
These controllers appear to use USB, much like the PlayStation Classic, which is good news and gives us hope that there may be a way to access the Genesis' emulator to have some fun with it.
What does it look like?
The Mini console looks to be an almost exact replica of the original 1989 release rather than the updated version — the Mega Drive 2 — that came along in 1993. It has the original on-off toggle that I loved as well as the reset button. It even has the volume slider, though who knows if the Mini will actually use it for that?
The reset button is likely to take you back to the game select screen but it isn't unheard of for companies to use buttons in new and interesting ways. Let's see what they do with it.
The only big changes to the front are the USB sockets where the old pin slots would have been. These house the new controllers, so they needed that cosmetic change.
What about the games?
Sega has decided, in its infinite wisdom, to give us the names of the 40 games that will be available 10 games at a time. This makes me a little sad but it's a good strategy to keep people interested until the launch date. The games we know so far are:
- Ecco the Dolphin
- Castlevania: Bloodlines
- Space Harrier 2
- Shining Force
- Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
- Toe Jam & Earl
- Comix Zone
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Altered Beast
- Gunstar Heroes
- Earthworm Jim
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
- World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
- Contra: Hard Corps
- Streets of Rage 2
- Thunder Force III
- Super Fantasy Zone
- Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
- Landstalker
Again, there are going to be 40 games available on the Sega Mini. That's nearly double the offerings of any other classic console and gives us a lot of hope for some amazing games. California Games? Outrun? I can't wait to see what else is announced.
More: All the games announced for the Genesis mini
Where and when can you get it?
Right now Sega is saying you can get the Sega Genesis Mini on September 19, 2019, and that preorders will be available soon. It seems that Gamestop has already jumped the gun, though, and are selling the Mini on preorder already.
New Mini madness
The last console in the holy triumvirate is here. The Sega Genesis Mini, with its 40 games onboard, is shaping up to be an exciting proposition for any retro game fan.
What do you want to see?
We all have our favorite retro games, and we all love them to distraction. Which games do you want to see from this console classic?
For me, I hope that California Games makes it on the list. I still have blister marks on my thumb from that game. Let us know what you want to see!
