The Pop-Culture E-Zine
Sega Does What Nintendon’t!Another nostalgia inducing product from Kidrobot for those Sega 16-bit and Sonic fans! Kick it oldschool with this cool retro plush! The beloved classic SEGA Genesis (we prefer, Mega Drive!) gaming console gets a plush makeover with interactive elements.
This Genesis/Mega Drive console is a 12″ / 30cm plush which includes a plug-in plush Sonic game cartridge and an original 3-button type plug-in plush controller.
image source: Kidrobot
Independent publisher The Retro Room Games has recently announced that the pre-orders for Chip’s Challenge on Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive are now open!
Play as Nerdy Chip McCallahan, who navigates through a series of increasingly difficult puzzles in 148 two-dimensional levels, in order to prove himself and gain membership to the very exclusive Bit Busters Club.
Originally developed by Epyx, Chip’s Challenge is a classic top-down tile-based puzzle game launched on Atari Lynx in 1989. The game was also ported to MS-DOS, Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and the Amstrad CPC back in the 90s.
Chip’s Challenge was also released on Steam 6 years ago featuring 90% of positive reviews. This will be the first time that the game will be available on Nintendo and Sega platforms.
Chip’s Challenge will be available on 16-bit consoles including a cartridge in both PAL and NTSC versions, a box and an instruction booklet. Pre-orders for the game can be found here.
source: The Retro Room Roo
Features:
Price: US$24.99 (cart only) / US$49.99 (Complete In Box)
On this day [November 30] in 1990, Sega’s 16-bit beast arrived on our shores, which was about 2 years after Japan got theirs, but it was always better late than never back in those days!
Coming from the days of playing games on the Commodore 64 and Atari ST, the Mega Drive felt like we had a genuine arcade system in our bedroom! The Mega Drive was our first day one purchase (the N64 was the other) in 1990, which we paid $399 with the pack-in Altered Beast game. We also couldn’t resist buying Golden Axe on that day too. We still remember unpacking and playing it that day – our mind was completely blown!
Sega stamped their authority with their 16-bit powerhouse, and as history would record it, their most successful console ever. The Mega Drive was the catalyst for converting a generation of micro computing enthusiasts into console gamers, we should know, as we were one of them. Our transition from 8-bit (C64) and 16-bit (Atari ST) computing was quite stark – and as soon as we got our Mega Drive and whacked in the pack-in Altered Beast and then Golden Axe games, we honestly thought we had Sega’s arcade games in our bedroom. We were instantly smitten, and alas, that also rang the death knell on our playing days on the micros.
What were your earliest memories of Sega’s 16-bit beauty? Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook and join in the conversation.
Casting our mind back to November 1990, we recall walking into our local family run Home and Entertainment Centre with our hard earned money (from pushing trolleys at our part-time job) to be faced with a dilemma of what new gaming console to buy for the new decade. This decision wasn’t taken lightly, as we had been 8 and 16-bit computer gamers till that point. We remember paying $399.99 for the Sega Mega Drive (Altered Beast pack-in) that day and another $100 for Golden Axe. Let’s just say that it was the best decision we ever made. We instantly fell in love with Sega’s 16-Bit console and that love affair is still as strong as ever.
Fast forward to the present day and the excitement of bringing home a mini version of Sega’s venerable console feels just the same as it did almost 29 years ago! Cracking open the box, we found a super cute shrunken Mega Drive Mini console, about 55% the size of the original Model 1 Mega Drive, two 3-button USB controllers, one HDMI cable and one USB to Micro-B power cable.
Being a genuine made Sega product, everything feels high quality. You can tell that Sega took a lot of care and poured their heart and souls into crafting this sleek and miniaturised Mega Drive. We love the attention to detail, like the cartridge flaps retracting, but obviously they are there for aesthetics, so you can put away your game carts. The headphone volume slider feels the same, albeit on a smaller scale, as do the reset button and on/off switch – it all feels very familiar, which is a good thing. The 3-button controllers are identical to the ones we had in 1990, except these are USB, not D-Pin connected. On that front, it would have been great if Sega had included 6-button controllers so that we could play games like Street Fighter II right out of the box. But don’t dwell on this, as you can use the Retro-Bit® 6-button controllers on this Mini.
Once the Mega Drive Mini was fired up, we were keen to start playing one of the 42 pre-loaded games (full list of games further down). The menu we were presented with was quite easy to navigate, with an awesome catchy tune created on the YM2612 sound chip by legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro (Streets of Rage and Beyond Oasis). Knowing that the pre-loaded titles from both first-party and third-party development teams were all handled by the premier developer, M2 (SEGA AGES and SEGA 3D Classics Collection), a team renowned for high attention to detail and accuracy, we knew the games ported to the Mega Drive Mini were in good hands – the M2 team should be commended for their brilliant effort. Oh yeah, both Tetris and Darius make it in the overall games list, which means the Mega Drive Mini is the only console where you’ll be able to play these two newly published Mega Drive games – how cool is that?!
Just like in 1990, the first game we fired up was Golden Axe. The hit of nostalgia was purely intoxicating. Our muscle memory didn’t let us down, so playing the game was just as fun as it was back then. However, unlike back then, we could now save our game at any point to come back to it later – so no more pesky pausing for 24 hours and running a high power bill. The game playing experience felt authentic, even if playing on a modern television. Having said that, there are settings available to change the aspect ratio (4:3 or 16:9) and for those of you that want the same visual experience from three decades ago, there is a CRT filter, which adds scan lines and adjusts the colour of the display to emulate the look and feel of a CRT television (see photos of this further below) – it’s pure magic.
Lovingly crafted from the ground up, the sleek and miniature SEGA Mega Drive Mini is for all retro gamers, especially those that have fond memories playing the original 16-bit console back in the day. Sega have truly delivered a high-quality, plug-and-play, collectable version of their awesome console. As their famous slogan once said, and it still rings true now, “To be this good takes AGES, To be this good takes SEGA.”
If you want to see the Sega Mega Drive Mini in the flesh, we will have it available in our Classic Gaming area at PAX Aus 2019. The Sega Mega Drive Mini will be released on September 19 at a retail price of AU$139.95.
The Mega Drive Mini 42 pre-loaded titles:
1. Sonic the Hedgehog
2. Ecco the Dolphin
3. Castlevania: The New Generation
4. Space Harrier 2
5. Shining Force
6. Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
7. ToeJam & Earl
8. Comix Zone
9. Altered Beast
10. Gunstar Heroes
11. Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
12. World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
13. Thunder Force III
14. Super Fantasy Zone
15. Shinobi III
16. Streets of Rage 2
17. Earthworm Jim
18. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
19. Probotector
20. Landstalker
21. Mega Man®: The Wily Wars
22. Street Fighter II’®: Special Champion Edition
23. Ghouls ‘n Ghosts®
24. Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
25. The Story of Thor
26. Golden Axe
27. Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
28. Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball
29. Vectorman
30. Wonder Boy in Monster World
31. Tetris®
32. Darius
33. Road Rash II
34. Strider
35. Virtua Fighter 2
36. Alisia Dragoon
37. Kid Chameleon
38. Monster World IV
39. Eternal Champions
40. Columns
41. Dynamite Headdy
42. Light Crusader
Disclosure: The Sega Mega Drive Mini was kindly provided by Five Star Games for this review.
Don’t blame us for showing you this, it is all Since Spacies fault!
When we saw Brian’s (aka: Since Spacies) tweet about this Game Glorious Mega Drive watch, we were literally throwing money at our screens, about AUD $19.50 (to be exact).
Don’t get too excited though, Game Glorious has opened pre-sale orders for this watch (and other Mega Drive related items) which will be showcased in their booth at the Tokyo Game Show 2019 event starting this week (September 12th – 15th).
16 Bit time piece…#sega #megadrive #genesis #retro #RetroGaming #videogames pic.twitter.com/z8tY8yCwNs
— …SINCE SPACIES | 3️⃣3️⃣ days till PAX AUS (@sincespacies) September 8, 2019
image source: game.watch.impress
Let’s start with WOW! How damn WOW is this MegaSD FPGA cartridge from Terraonion?!
Before we tell you what this mega cart can do, we thought we’d let you all know that it isn’t cheap (€232.00 / ~AU$380.00 exc shipping), but then again, there is a lot of cool technology jam-packed into this cart!
So, what can this cart do? Actually, the better question would be, what can’t it do? The simple answer is, it can do everything, bar making you a nice cup of coffee. Check out some of the mouth watering specs and features, and then make your decision to pull the trigger on one or not…..
This is the world’s First Mega-CD/Sega CD FPGA Optical Disc Emulator! Please try not to drool when reading the specs/features:
• Plays both ISOS (bin+cue) and ROMS
• RAM based cartridge for instant boot
• Compatible with all original and region free patched Mega-CD / Sega CD bios
• Supports Mega Drive / Genesis, Sega CD / Mega-CD, Nomad, Master System and 32X games (requires 32X add-on)
• Fully compatible with Analogue Mega Sg!
• Easy to use interface for navigating your collection with screenshots, genre, year and description
• Save State support for Mega Drive and Genesis Cartridge games (8 slots)
• Built in cheat engine for Mega Drive and Genesis cartridge games
• Emulates all different Genesis / Mega Drive / Master System / 32x cartridge mappers.
• Stores all different Genesis / Mega Drive / Master System / 32x cartridge saves into MicroSD card.
• Per game Mega-CD / Sega CD Backup RAM and Cartridge RAM stored into microSD card
• Master System FM Core
• In-Game menu for fast reboot and swapping games (Genesis / Mega Drive and Mega-CD / Sega CD)
image source: Terraonion
Oh yeah, this awesome bit of kit starts shipping in the first week of August 2019 by a strict purchase order system, so act fast! The other morsel you should be aware of is that shipping times will depend on their sales volumes! We are champing at the bit for this mega cart!
When Sega’s 16-bit beast was first released in Japan, it made a big enough splash that it got everyone around the world to sit up and take notice of the future in console gaming. On this day (August 14) in 1989, it was our North American friends’ turn to get their hands on the shiny new Sega Genesis console.
A leap from the Master System, the Genesis brought home (almost perfect) arcade conversions, especially those from Sega’s own arcade stable. While most of the western world was still in the micro computing craze with their C64s, Amigas and Atari STs, Sega stamped their authority with their latest, and as history would record it, their most successful console ever. Why would you play Golden Axe on any other system when the Genesis version was like having the arcade in your bedroom?
The Sega Genesis went on to sell more than 18 million consoles in the U.S. alone, which definitely put a dent in Nintendo’s party. Speaking of which, Sega of America’s advertising was brutal and effective, always taking subtle (and not so subtle) shots at their main competition. Who could forget the legendary, “Genesis Does What Nintendon’t.” ad campaigns – ah, those were the days! We have a few more ads below to give you a jolt of nostalgia.
So happy anniversary to the Sega Genesis, you magnificent beast! What were your earliest memories of Sega’s 16-bit beauty? Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook to let us know.
image source: arcadesushi.com
If you are a Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis) fan, then issue 182 of Retro Gamer is your mag to indulge in some 16-bit nostalgia.
From all the inside information on how Sega’s magnum opus came to be, to its developers that made it sing and become a classic console.
The regular features are back, from the Classic Moments, Minority Report to Hardware Heaven and The Uncoverted to name just a few, this issue of RG is jam packed to satisfy your retro gaming lust!
This issue is also accompanied with an Essential Mega Drive games guide and stickers, so if you are a fan of Sega’s 16-bit game changer, then there is no excuse to miss this issue – go grab it now!
When we received the Retro Freak console from Play-Asia, we put our thinking cap on to try and find a way to review the unit objectively. Our thinking cap must’ve worked, as we came up with an ingenious idea – take the Retro Freak to the biggest gaming expo in the southern hemisphere, PAX Aus 2016!
By having the Retro Freak available to play at PAX Aus, it gave us the opportunity to observe attendees playing on the console and gauge their unfiltered and objective feedback. With thousands in attendance, we weren’t short of people having a go. There were youngsters and older players, families and couples all having a go. The overwhelming responses from players was, “What is this console?”, “Where can I get one?” and “How much is it?”.
Play your old school carts on the Retro Freak!
For those that are not aware, this awesome console from Cyber Gadget allows you to play your original game cartridges/cards from your Famicom, SNES/Super Famicom, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, PC Engine, TurboGrafx-16, SuperGrafx, Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance. By supporting these legacy systems, the Retro Freak ensures that you only need the one console setup in your games room to play all of your favourite classic titles! Hooray, you can finally declutter!
Let’s put on scanlines!
We love the clean and easy-to-use interface
The Retro Freak pumps out its audio visuals via HDMI, supporting 720p upscaling, which makes your old school games look great on newer TVs – so no more needing that 20 year old CRT TV! Well, we would suggest that you still hold onto your CRT TV *winks*. The other cool features that will freak you out (in a good way) include; filters, backing up of games from cartridge onto the console (on MicroSD card), instant save states and cheat codes (for certain games).
For control, there is the pack-in SNES-style controller, which does the job well, or if you prefer, modern gamepads such as the DualShock 3 and DualShock 4 can also be used (via USB). The Retro Freak Premium pack ships with a controller adaptor that supports Famicom/NES, Super Famicom/SNES, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, and PC-Engine/TurboGrafx-16 controllers. If you prefer bluetooth control (perhaps you dislike wires!), you can procure the 8bitdo Retro Receiver, plug it into the controller adaptor and use any one of your PS3, PS4, WiiMote or Wii U controllers you may have lying around. Oh yeah, you can re-map controller buttons to suit your style! We love the flexibility that the Freak provides!
The pack-in controller does the job! At least the USB cable is 1.8M!
One side of the Controller Adaptor – connect your fave gamepads!
Other side of the Controller Adaptor reveals more classic controller ports!
So how does it compare to playing on the real hardware? We threw all kinds of games at the Freak, and it ran them without a hitch. We didn’t encounter any incompatibility issues, which ensured we didn’t rage quit and turn off the console. The transferring of original game cartridge data to MicroSD is as easy as breathing, thanks to the user friendly interface. One niggle we did have was with Cyber Gadget’s support page being in Japanese – it made it difficult to ascertain the firmware and application updates required to ensure the Retro Freak was up to date. Google did came to the rescue here by pointing us to a forum that had the instructions in English on how to upgrade the firmware.
The elephant in the room is the obvious comparison to the RetroN5. With quality issues hampering the RetroN5, we know which system we would prefer to use – if only the Retro Freak was as good looking as the RetroN5! If you want to be able to archive your original game carts and declutter by only having one console to play your classic games on, then you can’t go wrong with the Retro Freak!
If you are keen to check out the Retro Freak console, then head to Play-Asia now.
Play Operation Wolf straight from the PC-Engine HuCard, OR…
Backup the Operation Wolf HuCard to microSD! It’s the best of both worlds!
The Retro Freak makes it to PAX Aus!
Family gaming together!
The Retro Freak was a hit at PAX Aus 2016! The Sega Mega Drive version of Aladdin was quite popular.
Super Famicom F-Zero action aplenty!
Time to SUPER SMASH (some) TV!
Thanks to Play-Asia.com for supplying the Retro Freak used in this review.
While the music charts were being rocked by the ‘Spice Girls’ and ‘Fugees’ in July 1996, on the video games front, we had a gorilla, a street fighter and a woody toy dominating the SNES, Sega’s Saturn and Mega Drive. This month also saw an Australian inspired rugby game make the charts on Sega’s 16-bit offering. What were you playing in July 1996?
 |
1) Donkey Kong Country 2 (Nintendo) |
| 2) Killer Instinct (Nintendo) | |
| 3) Yoshi’s Island (Nintendo) | |
| 4) FIFA Soccer ’96 (EA) | |
| 5) PGA Tour Golf ’96 (THQ) |
 |
1) Toy Story (Sega) |
| 2) FIFA Soccer ’96 (EA) | |
| 3) Sonic & Knuckles (Sega) | |
| 4) Australian Rugby League (EA) | |
| 5) Ecco the Dolphin 2: Tides of Time (Sega) |
 |
1) Street Fighter Alpha (Virgin Games) |
| 2) Panzer Dragoon Zwei (Sega) | |
| 3) Sega Rally (Sega) | |
| 4) Virtua Cop (Sega) | |
| 5) NFL: Quarterback Club (Sega) |