At E3 today, I had the chance to check out the Sega Genesis Mini– the latest micro-console that aims to capture the nostalgic feeling of 90’s console gaming. The idea has had varying degrees of success thus far (the NES classic v. the Playstation Classic), so I really didn’t know what to expect from Sega’s foray into this new trend. After a good half-hour of multiplayer Genesis goodness, I can happily say that the Sega Genesis Mini is looking fantastic.
To establish my credentials, I grew up as a Sega kid. The Genesis and Dreamcast were (and in some ways, still are) my bread and butter. I religiously played a good number of the games included on the Mini, so if there was something off about Columns or Streets of Rage 2, you’d better believe I would know.
Thankfully, that really didn’t prove to be the case. Though we didn’t try every game on the Mini, the ones we did try ran wonderfully. Switching between games is as easy as holding down start for five seconds, which brings up the console menu. The Mini really feels like it was made with accessibility and quality in mind, as nothing feels convoluted or needlessly difficult.
The game selection is pretty incredible, minus one strange addition and the mind-boggling exclusion on Sonic 3 & Knuckles. I think the Genesis version of Virtua Fighter 2 is an odd pick for this console, as it’s as visually messy and clunky as its always been. I think Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 would have been a far better second fighting game to complement the already-present Street Fighter 2, but one wonky choice out of 42 is pretty damn good. Third-party gems like Castle of Illusion, Castlevania: Bloodlines, and Earthworm Jim, as well as iconic SEGA classics like Phantasy Star 4 and Shining Force, make the Mini a remarkable collection that represents the console in an accurate and respectful way.
The Mini’s controller is incredibly accurate to the classic Genesis controller, as I immediately felt at home upon holding it. The ever-so-slight indents in each of the face buttons, the wobbly weight of the D-Pad, the light but durable plastic- everything about the controller felt exactly as it should. The console looks spot-on as well, though a bit smaller and more compact for obvious reasons. The Japanese version of the Mini will feature the 6-button controller, though we didn’t get to take that for a spin. It’s odd that only one region is getting that controller, though that may be why the collection doesn’t feature Mortal Kombat.
I’m truly impressed with the Sega Genesis Mini, as it seems to fully take advantage of the idea of a micro-console. Iconic classics and forgotten gems are represented equally, the console itself seems easy to use, and the aesthetic is accurate enough to make any SEGA kid feel like they just got home from elementary school. I can’t wait to get some time with the full thing on September 19th, and if this is the kind of quality I can expect from SEGA, I’m hoping the Dreamcast Mini isn’t too far off.
Minnow
June 13, 2019 at 4:11 pm
I don’t understand SEGA. They put Shining Force 1 & 2 in everything, but they adamantly refuse to fully localise and re-release the complete 3-game series of Shining Force 3.