First Impressions Of The Sega Genesis Mini

Published: August 14, 2019 11:10 AM /

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sega-genesis-mini

Nostalgia is a powerful thing.  The things we loved as kids can cause a dopamine hit in our brains as adults and create that "nostalgic feeling" you get from time to time.  Due to the intense emptional impact Nostalgia can have on us we're always looking for the next thing to remind us of "the good old days". So what does this have to do with the SEGA Genesis Mini? A lot actually.

The packaging on the SEGA Genesis Mini is absolutely stellar.  While I know people aren't buying these for the box, its the extra care and attention to detail SEGA put into the presentation of this console that really sets it apart from most other "mini" consoles on the market today.  The box is designed a lot like what you would have seen in a Toys R Us back in the '90s and everything from the photo of Sonic on the front, to the extremely early '90s CGI grid background, and even the choice of language on the box itself really shows how much more effort SEGA put into this than Sony did their PS1 last fall.

The console itself was definitely designed with a quality over quantity mindset.  Everything from the volume slider, to the cartridge slot, and even the buttons on the machine itself mimic its big brother down to the most minute details. The USB controllers feel good and while I would have preferred a bit more weight (they're unusually light) and possibly a reset button somewhere, they felt fine and seem like they're built to last. I'll get into more detail about the controllers in the review next month, but for a first impression, I have to admit that these are quite good.

The games included in the Sega Genesis: Mini are a pretty decent mix and I appreciate the extremely intuitive home screen layout.  You can organize your games in a few different ways and the box art seems like it was directly scanned from some SEGA archive somewhere.  The knicks and scratches on the box art really help with the nostalgia and overall presentation.  While some key games are missing from the lineup (SONIC AND KNUCKLES) the selection is pretty great for both retro gamers and people just looking to recapture the past. While the system includes some absolute classics like Comix Zone, Sonic 2, and Earthworm Jim. There are a few surprises in the lineup such as World of Illusion, Virtua Fighter 2, and Tetris. That last one is included as one of the two "bonus" titles, which is really cool given the rarity of the Genesis release of Tetris.

While I still can't get into too much detail about my overall experience with the system until the review next month, for now, I'm confident in saying that SEGA hit a homerun with the Genesis Mini. They really put together something special people looking to play some classics from the '90s, or take a long drag from that nostalgia cigarette we all crave.

In the video below I unbox the system and give some quick comments about the system itself and how well its packaged.

The Sega Genesis Mini will be released worldwide on September 19th and is currently available for preorder.  You can find a full list of the games 42 packed in titles here.

A review unit of the Sega Genesis Mini was provided to Nick by SEGA of America. 

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Nick Maillet TechRaptor
| Former Lead Video Editor

When im not playing games Im working on TV shows as a colorist. You can find me on twitter posting pictures of my rabbit and other useless junk.