Gamers all across Europe are welcoming the news that the new Mega Drive Mini 2 is being launched on the continent. And even better – it will be arriving on exactly the same day as it is launched in North America.
Sega chiefs have announced that the D-Day for the much-anticipated old-school device will be October 27 2022. The company is now aiming for a simultaneous worldwide launch in all major markets: America, Europe and Japan.
At the same time more details are emerging about the highly desirable miniature retro portable console itself. We now know that it will come with more than 60 games, including some that have never been released in English before and some Sega CD classics.
The Return of Sega
It marks a remarkable return to prominence for the Sega brand. It seemed Nintendo had won the battle of the 20th-century consoles and for many gamers Sega’s were consigned to museum shelves or pawn shops.
But the new mini console system is taking that retro appeal and making a positive from it. The cute authentic vibe of the Mini 2 is bringing the Sega brand firmly back into the spotlight.
It’s a return to top form for Sega and for simple handheld consoles. Expect to spot players deep in simple arcade-style games from October onwards.
The console system is expected to be one of this Christmas’s big success stories too.
The new/old Sega system is highly portable to match the demands of today’s play-anywhere gamers. In a generation where players want access anywhere, anytime, it mirrors the boom in online gaming.
The best retro games
Video gaming is a popular hobby for many, with more people choosing to play video games via consoles or online in their spare time.
Various gaming niches are popular online including MMORPG, first-person shooter games and activity games. Another popular gaming niche that has seen great success since the transition online are online casinos. Casino games were typically played offline however are now hugely popular online, with many of the best casino providers available offering an extensive range of games in comparison to land based casinos. Various casino games are also known for being a ‘retro’ classic, with slots being an old arcade favourite.
Retro gaming is popular amongst players today due to the nostalgia commonly associated with retro games and consoles from brands like Sega.
Sega is promoting the exciting new release with the cheesy slogan: ‘Welcome to the next level!’ The retro system will include an impressive library of built-in titles.
Highlights of the Mega Drive Mini 2 games will include: SuperbHang-on bike racing, Truxton alien shoot ‘em up, Phantasy Star II role playing game and Herzog Zwei real-time strategy wargame.
Look out too for the classic dog-fight aerial battles of After Burner, the arcade adventure Rainbow Islands and the ninja action game Revenge of Shinobi.
The exact line-up of games available will be slightly different in different regions of the world. The retro console system will be available to pre-order from September in Europe.
Note that the video game console is called the Genesis Mini in North America but the Mega Drive Mini in Europe. But it’s the same unit and is like an updated version of a classic Sega console from the 1990s.
That means it uses similar 16-bit hardware but is around half the size of the original console. The Mini II video game console is actually modelled on Sega’s Mega Drive II variant, which is now 30 years old.
Familiar controller
The gamer plays with a familiar-looking handheld controller with six buttons. Real retro fanatics will note that the menu music is written by the returning iconic Japanese digital composer Yuzo Koshiro.
This is the second small version of the classic Sega gaming console from the 90s. Experts are already predicting it will be a big success.
Games library
That’s due in part to the comprehensive selection of built-in games. Here’s the Mini 2 games library in full:
Aah! Harimanada, After Burner II, Alien Soldier, Atomic Runner, Bonanza Bros, Captin Tsubasa, Clay Fighter, Columns II, Crusader of Centy, Desert Strike: Retrun to the Gulf, Devi and Pii, Earthworm Jim II, Ecco the Dolphin, Ecco: The Tides of Time, Elemental Master, Fantasy Zone, Fatal Fury 2, Final Fight CD, Gain Ground, Gambler Jiko Chuushinha, Golden Axe, Granada, Hellfire, Herzog Zwei, Honoo no Tokyuuji Dodge Danpei, Lunar: Eternal Blue; Lunar: The Silver Star, Mahou no SHoujo Silky Lip, Magical Taruruto, Mansion of Hidden Souls, Megapanel, Midnight Resistance, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Night Striker, Night Trap, The Ninja Warriors, The Ooze, Out Run, Out Runners, Party Quiz Mega Q 2022, Party Quiz Sega Q, Phantasy Star II, Popful Mail, Populous, Puzzle and Action: Ichidant-R, Rainbow Islands Extra, Ranger-X, The Revenge of SHinobi, Ristar, Robo Aleste, Rolling Thunder 2, Romance of the Three Kingdoms III, Sewer Shark, Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi, Shin Megami Tensei, Shining Force II, Shining Force CD, Shinging in the Darkness, Silpheed, Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic CD, Sorcerian, Space Harrier II, Spatter, Splatterhouse II, Star Cruiser, Star Mobile, Starblade, Streets of Rage III, Super Hang-on, Super Locomotive, Super Street Fighter II, Tenka Fubu, Thunder Force IV, Toe Jam and Earl in Panic on Funkotron, Togi O: King Colossus, Truxton, Vectorman II, Viewpoint, Virtual Racing, VS Puyo Puyo SUN, Warsong and Wondermega Collection.
With a line-up like that the Mini 2 is anticipated to be a major contender in the retro gaming market. It will be seen to compete with Nintendo’s NES and SNES systems.
Back to the nineties
The console is already being hailed by some insiders as the ultimate retro-trip for old-school gamers. The styling and features are designed to take gamers back to the nineties.
One aspect of the nineties that gamers won’t want to recreate though is the pre-internet, pre-smartphone era.
Today’s gamers have become used to being access their entertainment at any time in any place, thanks to the ultra portability of their devices.
We’re all used to having our gaming fun whenever and wherever we want it!