There's a new Mega-Drive, and it's horrible looking

Remember how the Mega-Drive looked like a slick, shiny Tim Burton Batmobile?

Well, say hello to a square box that looks like a boring modern console.

Now you can enjoy something completely devoid of personality, brought to you by none other Phil Fish himself.

The latest console remake from Analogue.

High-end console remakers Analogue have enlisted none other than Arca to compose the start up music for their Sega Genesis clone, Mega Sg.

The console features revamped hardware for lag-free, high definition play and is compatible with original Sega Genesis, Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master System cartridges. Check out the startup animation and Arca’s composition below.

The system also features high fidelity, 48KHz 16 bit stereo sound, making it the perfect excuse to re-visit some of the Genesis’s classic video game soundtracks.

In addition, a digital version of long-lost Sega Genesis title Hardcore – renamed as Ultracore for legal reasons – will be included on each Mega Sg console.

This is not the first time Analogue have reached out to the electronic music community to contribute to their products, collaborating with Ghostly last year on a limited edition SNES clone featuring start up music from Christopher Willits, Gold Panda, Mary Lattimore, Shigeto, Tadd Mullinix, Ouri, and Telefon Tel Aviv.

Analogue’s Mega Sg costs $189 and is available to buy now in four colourways. For more information, and for high-end remakes of the SNES and NES, head over to the Analogue website.

I'm actually interested.

If it's from Analogue then it will be for sure a very high quality retro console. But ye, it looks... not great.

If it's like the other Analogue retro consoles, it will be the best way to play Genesis games.

I'll probably get one. I'm extremely happy with the Super NT.

So for $189 you get a console that looks like shit and is way more expensive than the original and you don't get a single game with it, can you say rip off.

@i_p_daily: It comes with a game (learn to read) and they have a reputation of putting out high quality consoles. Plus it cost less then the genesis did back in 89. You failed in every way imaginable, like usual.

My bad it comes with a game, sorry I couldn't be arsed reading everything in the link.

You can get a Megadrive with more games for less than the asking price of this, so its a fail just like your posts :)

I got the analogue snes and I'm pretty happy with it. I'm going to pick this one up too. I actually like the look of it. I have about 40 genesis games.

Never really cared all that much for the look of the original but yeah this one definitely looks worse. Still though it is by Analogue so at least it’s a quality product.

I like the design. It does what it should do: look modern but with "whiffs" of design pulled from the original. The Super NT took the same approach.

I loved my mega-drive... But I am sorry that console is not looker at all so I'm not sure why you dislike this but love the original.

This has bee out for almost a year, and there are so many uneducated, ignorant posts in here it’s hilarious.

This is the best way to play genesis games now, period.

Do some research folks.

I want one that looks like the original with all the addons.

Having purtchased one to test it out I can confirm it isn't worth the money. The only good thing is the control pad and it's not USB.

A far better option is to simply use retroXXX If you're really handy with DIY, strip out the inners of an original Mega-Drive that doesn't look like garbage, or alternatively just buy a clone shell. It will be cheaper, and give you a little fun project.

Overall, this console is overpriced and poo, only for dive-hards who love being parted with money.

Incredibly ugly, incredibly so.

@uninspiredcup: I have one of those Pi cases. It's great. The best Pi case I have found is the 'Kintaro' SNES case because it comes with python scripts to make the buttons function properly (which will safely run the shutdown and reboot linux commands so you don't lose data). You could use those scripts with minimal modification for this case as well.

The real benefit of the Analogue console is:

• Extremely low latency
• Play your old carts with HD video output

ARM emulators on the Pi are cool, but they are not as good as their x86 counterparts - and neither are as good as something like the Analogue system.

I agree though they should have made it look more like the Mega Drive, which is very classy.

@uninspiredcup: How is it "poo"?

It is a shame that due to trademark issues that the Mega-Drive name was not used in North America and was given the Genesis name. It is one of the few cases where Sega's home console is known by two names.

Thanks for letting me know Fishy was involved. I was thinking of dipping on one of these sometime in the future, but there are lines I will not cross.

Is it an actual licensed product or a third party hardware recreation? I'm sure they couldn't make it look the same for copyright reasons.

@uninspiredcup: let me see yours

Looks like the design is based on the Mega Drive II.

@uninspiredcup: I got bad news for you dude. These are only pre-order ATM and first shipments don't go out until April.

So it looks like whatever someone sold you isn't legit. Would explain why the one you have is garbage though.

@uninspiredcup:I might actually put together one of those MegaPies. The only downside is it's like 100 euro's here for the raspberry + controller + case + power adapter. But... It is pretty rad.

I still have never played a Mega Drive anything... before my time.... hear a fair amount of conversation about it though.

Generally speaking, the point of a retro-console over roms or (Sega Classics) is the evoke the physical feeling of using the original console, creating a a sense of nostalgia that's difficult to encapsulate.

Whoever made this product sure was misguided, It would be wrong purely to blame Phil Fish, but t's clearly a hipster design. Stick some black thick rimmed glasses and mutton chops on it, it's him in console form.

This guy gets it.

@uninspiredcup: don't think I understand your reply.

You said you bought one and tested it out and your experience was poor.

I'm trying to explain that these consoles will only first ship in April, meaning whatever you have is not the actual product and so it makes sense what you have sucks.

If you got ripped off I would see if there's any way to get your money back because someone sold you a fake product.

Yea, it's a pretty bad product, definitively wouldn't recommend it.

The best way to play is on the original hardware.

I like the Genesis name better, so I'm glad it was changed.

Mega-Drive sounds like a really good Transformer.

Genesis sounds like bible reading time.

@uninspiredcup: I wouldn't recommend a fake product of any kind haha.

But when the official ones come out next month I expect nothing but good things from them. Everything Analogue has released so far has been amazing.

I disagree due to the limitations of the AV output.

I'd much prefer to play over a a native digital output than using a CRT. Same with the SNES games - Super NT is waaaaay better than my old SNES.

I'd rather Sega just put their old games on Sony, Nintendo, and MS consoles and devices, I'll buy them.

@ohmy: So this whole thread is a complete lie.

Got it.

Interesting that the rock band Genesis (whose lead singer is Phil Collins) did not take issue over Sega using the name.

I have to disagree, the name Mega Drive is such a better fit as it has no real world meaning, which means you can make something up with it.

Now Genesis meaning is "the origin or mode of formation of something" lol nowhere near fun as Mega Drive.

For retro gaming, playing on original hardware with a CRT TV as the games were designed to be played is the best option. The games will not look or play as well with any other option.

I understand that not everybody wants to keep a CRT TV around just for retro gaming though, but even for the people that don't want to keep a CRT TV around and would prefer to play on their HDTV, there is still a better method using original hardware. The Genesis is not limited to just composite output, it also natively supports RGB output with no modification required. Using the original hardware's RGB output to a Framemeister will get you a great picture on your HDTV and is the second best way to play (after CRT).

@i_p_daily: I love "Genesis" - to me it always implied "this is where the future of gaming begins" or some such. Very spacey, futuristic, and forward looking system marketing in general surrounding the Genesis.

Love this thread!

Raspberry pi can do it plus more. Don’t care about those anti rom elitist.

D-pad looks like Xbox's d-pad, the worst d-pad ever created by mankind. And it's the only button on the controller for movement. Ew to the max.

Nah, play a super NT. Then play an snes modded, then a regular snes both on crt's. Super NT shits all over it.

@n64dd: you're taking about SNES, though. He's right, the Genesis can do native RGB - and really, that's the quality you're aiming for with these clone machines in order to get good IQ on an HDTV

Not as good. Try one.

@n64dd: I play Genesis games on my PC all the time. It can't possibly look better than that

@i_p_daily: Genesis just sounds better, it gave the system a more epic sounding name were as mega drive just sounds childish.

lol try an analogue. More visual options are included in the system.

I should dig my old Mega Drive out of the attic.

Wait... nearly $200? WTF?

No thanks. I'll play on my original or my Raspberry Pi.

Also... what has me more interested is the Sega Nomad remodel coming later this year.