Sega Genesis Mini

Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Mini is an official system based on the Sega Genesis developed by Sega and M2. It includes over 40 games from the original Sega Genesis plus 2 new arcade ports exclusive to the device.

Common Games

 * 1) Alisia Dragoon
 * 2) Beyond Oasis
 * 3) Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse (Not in Japanese version)
 * 4) Castlevania: Bloodlines (Castlevania: The New Generation in Europe; Vampire Killer in Japan)
 * 5) Columns
 * 6) Comix Zone
 * 7) Contra: Hard Corps (Probotector in Europe)
 * 8) Darius
 * 9) Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Not in Japanese version)
 * 10) Dynamite Headdy (Not in Taiwanese/Korean version)
 * 11) Game no Kanzume Otokuyou (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 12) Ghouls 'n Ghosts
 * 13) Golden Axe
 * 14) Gunstar Heroes
 * 15) Landstalker
 * 16) Langrisser II (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 17) Mega Man: The Wily Wars (Rockman Mega World in Japan)
 * 18) Monster World IV
 * 19) MUSHA (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 20) Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Milennium
 * 21) Powerball (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 22) Puyo Puyo 2 (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 23) Puzzle & Action: Tant-R (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 24) Road Rash II
 * 25) Shining Force
 * 26) Slap Fight MD (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 27) Snow Bros. (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 28) Sonic the Hedgehog (Not in Japanese version)
 * 29) Sonic the Hedgehog 2
 * 30) Space Harrier II
 * 31) Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition (Not in Taiwanese/Korean version)
 * 32) Streets of Rage 2 (Bare Knuckle II in Japan)
 * 33) Strider (Not in Japanese version)
 * 34) Super Fantasy Zone
 * 35) Target Earth (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 36) Tetris
 * 37) The Revenge of Shinobi (Not in US/PAL version)
 * 38) Thunder Force III
 * 39) Wonder Boy in Monster World (Not in Japanese version)
 * 40) World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck

US and PAL Version Only

 * 1) Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
 * 2) Altered Beast
 * 3) Earthworm Jim
 * 4) Ecco the Dolphin
 * 5) Eternal Champions
 * 6) Kid Chameleon
 * 7) Light Crusader
 * 8) Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
 * 9) Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball
 * 10) Toejam And Earl
 * 11) Vectorman
 * 12) Virtua Fighter 2

Japanese Version Only

 * 1) Dyna Brothers 2 Special
 * 2) The Hybrid Front
 * 3) Lord Monarch
 * 4) Madō Monogatari I
 * 5) Party Quiz Mega Q
 * 6) Rent a Hero
 * 7) Yū Yū Hakusho: Makyō Tōitsusen

Taiwanese/Korean Version Only

 * 1) Alien Soldier
 * 2) OutRun 2019
 * 3) Shining Force II
 * 4) Sword of Vermillion

Why It Did What Mini-Nintendon't

 * 1) Quite good value for $80, considering it has over 40 games, twice more than what its competitor, the Super NES Classic Edition, offered.
 * 2) Phenomenal selection of games included. There's something here for everyone, ranging from iconic Sega classics like Sonic the Hedgehog and Streets of Rage 2, rare and expensive games such as Monster World IV and Mega Man: The Wily Wars, and two brand new ports of Darius and Tetris.
 * 3) The Genesis/Mega Drive Mini includes two 3-button controllers right out of the box (or two 6-button controllers in Japan), that are almost identical to the originals.
 * 4) Like the NES Classic Edition and its successor, it saves states, which is great for some of the more difficult games like Ecco the Dolphin.
 * 5) The emulation is near perfect, especially compared to AtGames' attempts to emulate the Sega Genesis. Even the sound is almost on par with the original hardware, and Sega Genesis sound is generally known to be very difficult to get right on emulators.
 * 6) The Genesis/Mega Drive Mini has two USB ports, which allows users to plug in a controller from another system via USB.
 * 7) Good menu music by Yuzo Koshiro, which includes a medley of songs from various games on the system.
 * 8) For the first time in a mini-console, you can play Japanese versions of certain games by switching the console's language, like turning Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine into Puyo Puyo.
 * 9) In Japan, you can even purchase decorative items for the console that resemble the Genesis/Mega Drive's peripherals, like the Sega/Mega CD and the 32X, forming the famous Tower of Power.
 * 10) The successor, the Sega Genesis Mini 2, includes a brand new game selection with 60 games (more than TurboGrafx-16 Mini, which holds 58 games), including several Sega CD games, a first since many retro projects between Sega and M2. It also includes the 6 button pads over the 3 button ones from the first miniature.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) Despite an amazing game selection, some of the notable Sega Genesis titles are missing, such as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, the first Streets of Rage, and Rocket Knight Adventures. Also, Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle is a very puzzling inclusion considering it's lukewarm reception.
 * 2) *To be fair, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles was left out possibly due to legal trouble with the music.
 * 3) While it's good that the system has two 3-button controllers, some of the games are better suited for a 6-button controller that's sold separately, like Eternal Champions and Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition.
 * 4) *Such problem was fixed in his successor, Sega Genesis Mini 2.
 * 5) There was a US version of the Tower of Power that had a very limited run and were sent to select media outlets like YouTubers according to Sega of America communication manager Jacob Nahin. so most people had to import the Japanese version instead. (Nintendo Life has a review here)
 * 6) The Sega Genesis Mini 2 is an Amazon-exclusive outside Japan. It is also overpriced when compared to the first model due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting production costs, marketing, and shipment logistics, varying from country by country.
 * 7) *Comparing it with BQ#1 from the first model, some dubious choices for the American lineup were made as well such as Sonic 3D Blast, The Ooze, OutRunners, ClayFighter, Night Trap and Sewer Shark, which all have negative reputations either by the press or user reviews.

Trivia

 * Like the PlayStation Classic, Hackers have discovered files for more games hidden inside the console, including those that weren't in any of the official game line-ups. These are Disney's Aladdin, Gauntlet IV, Marble Madness, and Mortal Kombat II. Unlike the PlayStation Classic, these are full ROMs, meaning the system can be hacked to play them.
 * The hidden games depend on the version of the console. For example, the US version includes Mortal Kombat II and Sword of Vermillion.