Sega Genesis Mini Announced!

[Zoyous]

I guess Out Run would have required some modification to the car since they don't currently have a license with Ferrari. The first Super Monaco GP would have required a couple of new screens, since the title screen and one other screen are now known to be modified versions of Playboy photographs. Not hugely expensive, but maybe it crosses into an area of how much artistic license is acceptable in a re-release? Well, with any luck, it will be possible to add ROMs to it.

 

Regarding the 6-button controller, the Japanese version of the 6-button controller is apparently smaller than the the one that released in the West. At least the 8bitdo controllers will be available in time.

[Flojomojo]

Someone posted this video on Reddit with the headline "Sega Genesis Mini is a dud" but it sounds pretty much OK to me, except for some sound bugs. I have a Mega Sg as well as lots of real and clone hardware so I'll pass this time, but I'm glad it's out there. 

 

 

[Flojomojo]

And these guys seemed to love it without reservations. 

 

https://kotaku.com/the-genesis-mini-makes-up-for-years-of-crappy-sega-clon-1837110882

[Zoyous]

I pre-ordered mine. Looks like it's made to a very high standard! So now we know the USB ports for the controllers will be the only possible way that it might be hacked.

[atarilovesyou]

So I should be getting my hands on this in a few days. I just watched a youtube reviewer demo how it seems to have a slight audio lag, almost identical to the NES Mini (yes, I know some of you don't notice it on the NES, but)...I was really hoping for this Sega mini to not have those kind of issues but I'll still take it. That said I still want to try both my NES and Sega Minis on another HDMI tv just to see if maybe my tv is affecting it somehow. My SNES mini however has zero audio lag on the same tv so I'm not holding my breath.

 

Anybody else excited?

[+chicgamer]

I've been fighting the urge to preorder one. I have my original Genesis, so I don't really need one, yet there's part of me that really wants one. I also think it would be neat to put this into the base of my Sonic Mania figure.

[digdugnate]

i'm always intrigued by the mini consoles, moreso if it's one that has really good featuresets and one I have a fair amount of nostalgia for.    i'm trying reallllly hard to fight the urge to preorder as well.

[NE146]

In case you guys wanted some additional plastic decoration dress-ups for your Mini I do dig it though I have to admit.

 

 

 

[Atariboy]

I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also about to buy a Mega SG. So I'm going to wait and cross my fingers that we see some good Black Friday sales.

 

I'm not quite sure this will light the world on fire like Sega is hoping. A lot of the casuals might be getting burned out after the NES/SNES Classic craze. And then there's all the Sega Genesis themed products from AtGames that probably satisfied a sizable number of casual buyers. So I could see some nice deals happening in a few months, unlike during the launch windows for the NES/SNES Classic.

 

Still though, I hope it's a big hit even if it means I hold off for a while longer. 

[Yakumo1975]

 

The Japanese Mega Drive Mini Accessories set comes with a very nice surprise!! Major Fan Service!

 

[Zoyous]

That's awesome! My little gashapon tower would like a big (mini) brother!

[dgdgagdae]

I preordered from Amazon, and it showed up today, on release day.  I wonder if there's Mini Fatigue out there.  I went by Walmart after work to do some shopping, and I saw 2 of these in the case.

[Tanooki]

I really would love nothing more to see a true review of this system against the uncommon 2018 (not 2017) atgames genesis.  I saw some comments by DF retro saying like the original NES CE it has audio lag, and used mega man to prove it which was interesting. They pointed out the audio was off too but not much, it's a case of you'd have to know it to realize it better.  They crapped on atgames a lot, showed how bad the non-HD firecore turds were to compare but conveniently and oddly ignored the android 2018 genesis gx plus backed system.

 

I'd love to grab something between the two, but I can't just trust sega blindly to have the better device after having watched the DF video which had some more criticisms about the actual emulation, glowed all over it otherwise.

[Zoyous]

It's a bit unclear where the 2018 AtGames console released... it didn't seem to have as wide a release as the previous models, so it might not have come out wherever DF is located. (At least that's the impression I have. I'm not sure if Bill Loguidice is allowed to say in what regions it ended up getting to retailers.) So I don't think it was so odd that they ignored it. It would make a very interesting comparison video.

 

Regarding the audio lag, there are people receiving retail units who report no lag. So maybe the issue was patched after the review units went out?

 

One user has found a diagnostics mode: https://twitter.com/bakueikozo/statu...20492231524352

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I picked up mine from BB yesterday afternoon(Almost didn't get it although I had it on pre-order). ended up getting the last one they had on the shelf that wasn't reserved. Played it for about 5 hours or so last night and this is what I've found. Keep in mind this is on my specific AV setup in my game room so YMMV.

 

Audio lag. This is an odd one. Most of the games don't seem to have any audio lag. The sonic games are good as was Darius. But Megaman does show audio lag that I could notice (Compared to my actual cart on actual hardware). One really odd thing I've noticed on a few games is that most of the audio is lag free but then one or two sound effects are lagged. A prime example is Castlevania Bloodlines. Most of the audio seems to be great, but there is a very noticed delay in the 'thud' like sound when you drop from ledges that was really off putting and took getting used to. So it seems the audio lag isn't across the board on the system and is game specific with most of the games having little or at least no real noticed lag with some games having it or parts of it that are. Strange...

 

Some of the instrumentation sounds off in the music on some games as well as compared to actual hardware. It isn't enough to make the music worse but doesn't improve it either. And example would be in ToeJam and Earl as the the main slap bass doesn't sound quite the same as it does on actual hardware. But then games like Streets of Rage and Shinobi III sound great! Wonder if Koshiro did some tweaking to the audio engine for his games he composed for and it affected other games? Koshiro is credited with the audio engine according to the credits as they scrolled past.

 

Some of the games seem more difficult than I remember or I'm used to playing as well? Could be due to some controller lag that I'm not really noticing but is actually affecting my timing? Have to play more to see. An example is Contra. That game has always been difficult but I used to at least past the first stage without too much trouble. It took me like 3 continues to get past the first stage last night?! Maybe I'm just getting old and my reflexes ain't what they used to be LOL!

 

But overall if I didn't care for it, then my 5 hours with it last night would seem to prove otherwise! I can say I've already played this Genesis Mini more in one sitting than I have with either my NES or SNES minis. 

[Zoyous]

Thank you for your detailed impressions! I pre-ordered mine from Amazon, but for some reason they didn't ship it until last night, so it will probably arrive at my place tomorrow.

 

Apparently a hidden 43rd game in the Japanese Mega Drive Mini, Kiss Shot, was revealed in a launch day celebration at Sega in Japan. Maybe there's something hidden in the Western versions...? https://www.siliconera.com/2019/09/19/sega-holds-launch-party-for-mega-drive-mini-reveals-hidden-43rd-game-kiss-shot-and-more/

 

[Tanooki]

Hmm yes that is possible as DF is in part based in a mix of what looks to be the UK and US, so whoever got the atgames unit may only have been around the 2017 unit, their first and buggy android device that used another emulator on that one.  It has audio that was off much in how this Sega mini is being said to be but worse, the menu is really stupid in how to navigate it, and while it can use carts it does lack the sd card slot for everdrive like behavior out of the box with legit firmware.  It wouldn't really deserve being panned but it should still have uniquely been compared even if they didn't have the 2018 as the 2017 is still an obvious cure for the firecore blues.

 

Hopefully someone does some research and gets a video online, or DF reads their youtube comments and decides to respond with some kind of follow up as I asked them.

[atarilovesyou]

Quick question, when using the original aspect kode, does it let you pick a black background for the borders? Or do they force you to have some graphics thing? Thanks!

[+-^CrossBow^-]

16 minutes ago, atarilovesyou said:

Quick question, when using the original aspect kode, does it let you pick a black background for the borders? Or do they force you to have some graphics thing? Thanks!

Tha background or wallpapers are only for the 4:3 aspect selection. And yes, there is an option for no background. That is how I and I suspect most people will play when using 4:3.

 

[SuperDork3000]

I pre-ordered my Genesis Mini from Amazon and when it arrived on Friday my joy turned to anger when I notice that it was shipped in a flimsy bubble mailer  ? I open it up to find a badly damaged box, so sending it back for a refund and buying elsewhere. I though they were going to be hard to come by, but that doesn't seem the case, will buy from a brick and mortar store.

[TrekMD]

Mine should be arriving tomorrow, according to Amazon.  I sure hope that is not how they packed mine.  I have returned stuff in the past because of damage due to poor packaging and made them send a new one with proper packaging. 

[Zoyous]

Mine arrived an hour ago, in the same type of bubble mailer - but fortunately the box isn't damaged. Controllers feel nice, just feels like a proper Genesis controller. The cosmetic volume slider has a nice resistance to it. Gonna hook it up and dig in!

[wolfy62]

I bought mine at Gamestop today,it was in stock and a mile from my house.

I like the controllers and there are more than enough games I dont have and havent played to make it worth $80.

Games play well,sound is good.

Easy to hook up and select games from the menu. Awesome ?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Well, I didn't check the local gamestops near me, but the Minis and the 6-button controllers are sold out in all the best buy stores here in my city and surrounding burbs.

 

[atarilovesyou]

This Amazon bubble wrapper isn't making me feel good about the upcoming Turbografx 16 Mini...let's hope that we get some other options, or Amazon gets the message with enough returns of these Sega Minis and uses a proper box.