Sega Announces AGES For Nintendo Switch, Mega Drive Mini Console

So is this a games package or are these individual games? So PS4 and Xbox get a 50 game bumper pack for under 30 quid but switch owners have to pay for each title?

Any great games from Sega’s library on switch would be great, similar to Hamster software. As for a mini-mega drive, as long as they make enough (no limited time frame). Plus a real system, not emulated (or emulated VERY well).

@Mr_Pepperami Individual games, think 3D Classics for 3DS.

Oh yes yes!!! Finally! But so why limit the catalogue to only 15 games?? Sega has HUNDREDS!!

Hopefully they will do retail archives collections like they did with 3D classics in Japan.

And I hope Sakura Taisen will come to Switch.

Sad to see that Shenmue 1&2 HD isn't coming to Switch as well as the 3rd entry, maybe it's due to failed sales of Yakuza 1&2 HD on Wii U in Japan but I think at least the 1&2 title is best suited to a portable platform due to it's grindy nature. Would love to see Yakuza series on Switch too.

MD mini sounds cool

Panzer Dragoon Saga please

So other consoles got Shenmue 1+2 on top of 50 Mega Drive collection, while we get 15 same old Mega Drive and old Sega Arcade games which we have to buy INDIVIDUALLY for like 8 bucks or so? Something tells me the new Sakura Wars is not made with Switch as a platform in mind as well, huh?

GG Sega, thanks for nothing.

Isn't that the Sonic '06 logo? Man, would love to play that glitchy mess on the Switch.

@Grumblevolcano ahhh. Well hopefully it’s more that level of quality rather than that terrible ps2 series. Feels like switch owners are being milked as a cash cow at this point though. Hope the pricing is realistic

@KingdomHeartsFan Bring on a brand new Columns with new features!

So 15 or so classics, all sold separately, while the other systems get a disc with 30 games for around 30 bucks? Seems legit Sega

M2 emulation is gonna be superb. They always go out to improve the original game.

@MagnaRoader it’s over 50 for other systems actually, so its even worse...

So was this the 'huge' announcement then?!

The switch VC is looking less and less likely each month

Hopefully Shenmue 1 & 2 is just timed for PS4, and they come to Switch later. I've not played Thunderforce 4, only played the the first 3.
Hopefully they will also release AM2's arcade games eventually

Eh, doesn't matter at all for me.
Not a fan of those SEGA games above.

@Gerald It's not timed for PS4, it's coming to PS4, Xbox and PC

TELL ME AtGames isn't the company behind the Genesis mini, and if it's coming to the west.

I try to avoid writing negative posts, but it seems like switch owners are looked at as cash cow fools and publishers are starting to treat them as such, shame.

Why on Gods green earth are SEGA skipping Switch for Shenmue HD-collection?! Portable Shenmue in 720p is a dream that was so close to come true, but SEGA just had to be evil and mean.

Hopefully like Spyro, Nintendo is saving Shenmue announcement for a Direct... there is no logical reason to leave Switch out on a pair of old very runnable games

@MagnaRoader 15 classics by M2 so guaranteed to be the best versions available against straight rom dumps on disc.

Sony money strikes again. I can’t think of any other feasible reason for this to be kept off Switch, especially seeing how it’s doing so well in Japan and XBONE is tanking hard.

SEGA are either ridiculously stupid or in the pocket.

@Menchi187 Oh, thank God. My NES/SNES Classics get a new companion, assuming this isn't Japan-exclusive.

Phantasy Star, one of the first console JRPGs out there and one of those video games that had no problem having a female protagonist way back in the late 80s, is the biggest news to me. Even Virtual Console was relatively light on the genre, so I never expected to be able to buy and play the beginnings of this technofantasy saga on Switch in 2018! Consider the game on my wishlist and myself curious for the rest of the announcements.

Back when I had a Genesis (read: a bootleg "Sega Mega Drive 4", but you know how it was in Eastern Europe until mid-2000s at least), Phantasy Star 3 was one of the first... honestly, I think it was the SECOND JRPG I ever finished. I mean, having a cartridge with an actual battery slot certainly helped as well (ironically, later it didn't in Landstalker where the battery wasn't enough to keep any save file in or past Verla). All that mix of fantasy and science fiction, the story spanning multiple generations (the subtitle really meant it!) - it was quite a discovery and one of the games that helped hook me on the genre long before I ever played Final Fantasy itself.

@Iggy-Koopa There is no Sony money involved. Understand your place as a Switch owner.

Sega is doing what Nintendoes!

@Iggy-Koopa please stop with the Sony conspiracy BS. shenmue not coming to switch has nothing to do with Sony.

@kobashi100 what’s so special about M2 doing this? Everyone keeps saying “its gonna be amazing cuz M2”? Why? What will they do actually different? Add a save feature? Or speedrun mode? Its still a ripoff if its 8 bucks for each.

I’d rather have a collection of 50 Mega Drive games on 1 cartridge, than 15 indivdual releases with worthless gameplay modes and additions...

FRIGGIN’. CALLED IT.

Though with M2 at the helm, maybe they’ll actually live up to the promises they’re making... unlike last year’s failed “Sega Forever” on mobile.

I’d rather have the 15 in 1 cartridge than buying them individually

@Itachi2099 you be be for real!

Do you honestly believe all M2 is add a save feature or speed run mode.

Seriously did you even play the 3DS games and compare them to the original games.

Please tell me where I can play the original out run game @ 60fps outside of 3DS?

M2 put in huge effort on all them 3D classics.

For anyone who wants to read about M2 and there 3DS work please read the interviews.

http://blogs.sega.com/2015/01/23/sega-3d-classics-developer-interviews/

Super Fantasy Zone had better be coming. The Wii Shop Channel was the only effective way for English speakers to get a slice of the 16-bit action, and that's going down before long.

Awesome, can't wait until they produce a Mega CD mini, and then rush out out a 32x mini, just in time to compete with a Saturn mini.

All joking aside this will be cool.

@nhSnork Same! I was a Sega kid, rather than Nintendo, and Phantasy Star, played on my Game Gear via a Master System cartridge convertor, was the first JRPG I ever played. It's a terrific 8-bit JRPG, easily as good as the early Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest entries, and the first-person dungeons are so smoothly animated they almost feel like real 3D. I reached the final boss on three separate playthroughs (the battery save kept dying after about a year, so I'd start again) but my younger self never managed to beat it.

There are some pretty salty comments above but, as someone who has been waiting over a year for Nintendo to pull its finger out and give us VC on Switch, I'm glad Sega is picking up some of the slack. Hope we get more Dreamcast and Saturn games, though. The 8-bit and 16-bit stuff is getting overplayed.

@kobashi100 i’m talking about Mega Drive games, they can make Arcade ports of Sega games all they want, but we’re getting THESE individual rereleases of a handfull Mega Drive games instead of over 50 Mega Drive games collection on Cartridge? Just because they will add OPTIONS to them? Cmon man, get real...

More ports!

Just getting in before the usual whiners

The mini could be fantastic if they're letting someone competent make the thing.

@Krull the spokesperson on twitter said its just Mega Drive and old Sega arcade games(so basically, most likely, exactly the same games that we already played on the 3DS). On any other systems like Saturn or Dreamcast he said “idk, maybe if this is successful, anything is possible” =/

@RasandeRose A terrible shame to be sure. I’m getting it regardless, but I would’ve loved it on the Switch.

@Itachi2099 like I said you either take the better M2 emulation or have straight ROM dumps.

That's the trade off

The 15 games are just the first confirmed ones in development for Switch. If this series is a success, they will add more and more, just like Hamster's Neo Geo + Arcade Archives series, Flying Tiger Entertainment's Turbografx series, and Zerodiv's Psikyo series.

I have dowloaded about 20 Mega Drive games for Wii Virtual Console and got really great ones like the three Wonder Boy & Monster World games (which led me into buying all 7 Wonder Boy games on the Wii), Landstalker, Light Crusader, Alien Soldier, Gunstar Heroes, Dynamite Headdy, Gain Ground, etc. I didn't have a Mega Drive as a kid, but as I played through these games I realised they're easily on a SNES quality level which is the highest praise I can give for any 16-bit game.

So they gunna release s3+K? Or just 1 and 2 again

MegaDrive mini=ATGames in smaller plastic box.
TOLD U!!!

You know what? It's so much better companies bring their retro classics to Switch. Imagine if it was still a virtual console. We would be agonising over 1 release a week or panicking that it's been abandoned if nothing gets released. Virtual Arcade is great on Switch! Here's hoping for some SEGA classics too.

I'm hoping for Sonic 4, since it is no longer available on WiiWare

I'm good with this.

But gosh dang it, make sure Sonic 3 and S&K are included. They skipped on 3DS and they skipped on that new collection and I'm willing to bet they skip being included here as well.

Yup, when Sega said they had a "HUGE" announcement I figured it would just be them releasing their own version of a Mega Drive Mini. If it's actually done right then I'm all for this, so hopefully it's not just the AtGames version with Sega distributing it or some junk like that.

One thing it looks like for sure is that the cartridge slot is too small to take original physical carts, which is a bit of shame and step back from one of the cool features of the AtGames model. And I know the SNES Mini doesn't have this ability either, but Sega's little mini consoles did technically have this already so it feels like a bit of a loss now.

@Itachi2099 big busines hating on money all over again. As I have gotten older and my game time gets eaten away by life. Switch has changed the game. I already have almost 30 games, but there are still many genre holes in my collection. Sega has such an extensive back catalogue of games.im hammering for some SEGA Saturn and Dreamcast releases. Come on SEGA my money is waiting.

@Itachi2099 M2 are the people who went and created an entirely new System-16 arcade game that never existed in the first place in order to add it to the original Sega Ages PS2 series, then rewrote that code in 3D for the 3DS release. You are talking about people who go WAY above and beyond the call of duty.

Great news! I'd love to see Shining Force 1 and 2, along with Soleil (Crusader of Centy).

I'm very happy to hear that it's M2 who is working on the Sega Ages games for Switch. That is a great start.

It would be really awesome to hear these guys were also working on adding all the games that are going to be on the Mega Drive Mini too.

It's still unclear if these 15 titles would come together, but it would be nice for a retail release.

This is why Sega sucks nowadays. They have some interesting ideas but does a very bad job of delivering their product. Why make some awesome ports but choose to ignore the only console on the market that is actually synonymous with gaming and they wonder why their fans are no longer interested in most of their stuff.

Are they frikking messing with us!? PLEASE give us other versions of Phantasy Star, Sega! I'd LOVE to have Phantasy Star Online on my Switch! This better not be a cheap cop-out!

Sega does ages a little but not as old as Nintendo.

@Mr_Pepperami Hopefully as it mentions SEGA AGES it could be some arcade remasters (like the 3DS had but without the 3D effect) along with the hacked roms of Genesis games (like with Sonic 2 you had the mode to start every level with 50 rings and 7 emeralds) then just straight up plain roms with no added features.

The VC will only be Nintendo games with online service. This is obvious. You wonder why the VC has not come out yet. There you go.

Predictable on the console. Hopefully it’s decent and not the trash that’s been coming out for years

@River3636 I think that's what we're all wanting but doubt it would ever happen.

Hardly a huge announcement, clearly SEGA was exaggerating to get publicity.

the mini genesis is sweet. i have a big ol' fat one.

i still wished it were a mini dreamcast. >

@wazlon It is because there are so many indies, and hamster games that are saturating the switch.That is why Nintendo classics are so few. They want the 3rd parties. They are doing well.Now you have sega ages which will charge a little bit more money for retro games. It is the VC at a lower level. We already have fillers until the AAA games come out.

WE NEED NEW SHINY GAMES. NO ANCIENT GAMES.

If they also make a mini Sega CD that plays those tiny CD singles that...

@Bod2019 CRAP. While I was typing this I did a quick search for "CD" to see if anyone beat me to the joke, and you were that anyone. Good job.

@Itachi2099 "most likely, exactly the same games that we already played on the 3DS" Thunderforce IV and Phantasy Star didn't appear on 3DS so that's already 2 of the first 3 that aren't 'exactly the same'. I'm sure many of the 3DS ones will eventually come though as well, especially the arcade titles they already remastered. Add HD and online leaderboards and they will be worth every penny.

Thunder Force IV!!! O! M! G! 🎉🎊🧡

why bother when these exist?

Excited to hear M2 are bringing SEGA retro games to Switch! THUNDER FORCE IV is a Day 1 buy. That shoot-em-up series is very highly regarded with many citing IV as the perfection of the franchise.

Look forward to seeing what other arcade titles they bring to Switch.

@Bass_X0 Because those are crap,bad emulation and build quality and cheap controllers. This new one will be developed in house and will be more marketable and profitable. After the success Nintendo have had with theirs it's a no brainer.

I'm OK with this as long we get the Sonic and Phantasy Star games (particularly II and IV).

@kobashi100 The Saturn version of Outrun runs at 60fps.

Can a Turbografx-16 mini be far behind? Who owns the rights to the TG-16? Is it Konami, via its acquisition of Hudson soft.

As much as I respect M2, this effectively kills any chance of taxman Sonic ports on the switch which is a great shame.

(Sonic CD, 1 and 2 mobile versions exist using the mania engine and they are the best way to experience these old games by a long country mile)

So boo that but yay to the rest of the games. Still, guess they need Sonic to ensure sales.

Hope they release a 32X add on...

Give me Ristar and I'm happy.

@Apollon you’re/we’re getting on average, 15-18 NEW indie games a week. Retro games are like jello, there’s always room!! 😃

I have no interest in games that came out before I was born.

Sony PlayStation Classic Edition next!

Sega Ages for Switch! I love Sonic, I hope that Golden Axe will be included too. There are other games I would like too, Ristar, Nights, Panzer Dragon. I'll be honest I don't care at all if Shenmue don't come to Switch I never liked it, I am just so happy for Sega ages and the many games that I like a lot more than Shenmue. I am a really happy Switch owner right now

@Old-Red Because they are. Look at the comments on this website. Every dumb Wii U port and crappy indie game is celebrated as a day one purchase

@Mr_Pepperami Pretty much, meanwhile people are happy with segas support...

Sonic 3 and Knuckles please!

I like the idea of Sega AGES but we could do with some information about the new Megadrive please.

@Rika_Yoshitake I’m not. At this point we seem to be pinning a lot on Nintendo holding back announcements for quite a few of these for E3 but that’s quite a few now from various companies. From Sega we have the megadrive collection and now shenmue 1+2. Then we have stuff like Spyro, burnout paradise and even the recently released devil may cry collection. All this stuff could and should be on switch. We will see in a few months

Sega finally saw the hype that Hamster is doing and is now getting on the arcade archive digital download train. Should had done this to begin with so Switch fans wouldn't feel getting ripoff especially when the other platforms are getting the non-arcade versions within a collection for pennies. Also those Sonic games better be the Taxman versions, at this point there's no reason to re-release the old Genesis ports anymore.

@ThatNyteDaez Well, Phantasy Star Online 2 Cloud that released in Japan a couple weeks ago. Here's hoping they could translate that for us at some point.

@Mr_Pepperami You are speculating far too early. You don't know how they will be offered in order to be so negative from now.

Very huge announcement...

Hear are some classic Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and Master System/Game Gear games I would like to see for SEGA AGES. It would be cool to see Sega and Disney collaborate of bringing the Sega Disney video games like:
Castle of Illusion (G&MD/MS&GG)
World of Illusion (G&MD)
Land of Illusion (MS/GG)
Legend of Illusion (MS/GG)
Quackshot (SG&MD)
The Lucky Dime Caper (MS/GG)
Deep Duck Trouble (MS/GG)

@Cosats what do you mean? How’s it negative to say we will see at E3 what’s being held back? Also it’s literally in a few months that’s hardly early.

Actually hyped for this. Sega AGES also unearthed the legendary Panzer Dragoon on the PS2 years ago. I'm crossing my fingers its brilliance will make its way to the Switch!

Yay? I mean, they released these Genesis games on pretty much every platform after the Dreamcast, i was expecting this at some point on the Switch as well. Already got two of these collections (PS2 and PC) so i'm passing this up.

As for the mini console, i could dig on a mini Saturn/Dreamcast, since i pretty much never played any games from those two.

@JTMnM I’m hoping it’s not the usual megadrive stuff. Hoping for some Saturn or some Dreamcast mixed in. Maybe even something like Golden axe the revenge of death adder. That was never released on a home system

You’ve got to love Sega, it’s like the 90s all over again, so what does that mean about the the Sega Megadrive Flashback and the the Genesis 3 by At Games? Still confusing the hell out of their customer base 20 years on!

Bet they're all the same ones you could find on the plug n plays.

Assuming arcade games like Turbo Outrun are involved, count me in.

Ecco the Dolphin plz

Apparently, Sega does what NintenDID.

Alright, at first I was annoyed, but M2 versions of the few games I actually want to play over 50 titles I only want 5 or so of is actually way better.

Okay! I am glad some of the retro titles I like are finally popping up on the Switch! Hopefully they don't stop at 15 titles but rather, this is the first batch! Is there a full list of those 15?

sega does what nintendid

An AtGames rep has confirmed to me on the AtariAge forum that this is using their 2018 technology.

So it's essentially last year's new HD hardware, I gather. But this same individual has also hinted that the emulator is also being changed out in 2018 with a popular and highly regarded homebrew Sega Genesis emulator taking its place.

That's where the flaws were in an otherwise much improved product in 2017, like the bit of frame skip that was evident in Sonic the Hedgehog. The new HD capable hardware itself was fine, and a licensed high quality outside emulator should allow it to finally shine.

I assume they'll be following the licensing standards that this project, whichever one it is, has put in place (Unlike Hyperkin with the Retron 5).

Edit: It's also up on the AtGames Twitter page.

https://twitter.com/atgflashback?lang=en

I never owned a Sega system before but what’s the difference between the Mega Drive and the Genesis? I thought the Genesis was Sega’s 16-bit system. I honestly thought the Mega Drive was the 8-bit one...

@Thumbsofsteel It's the same system. Genesis is the North American name while Mega Drive was the platform's name in Japan, Europe, etc.

@Menchi187 No, they did not.

AtGames says it's theirs.

https://twitter.com/atgflashback?lang=en

@Atariboy Aaaah that makes sense now thanks. What was the 8-bit system name then?

I'm wondering why the rest of the 3D classics on 3ds have never made it out of Japan.

If there’s Castlevania Bloodlines, I’m in!

Never played that one and always wanted to!

@Thumbsofsteel The 8 bit predecessor to Sega's 16 bit console was known in Japan as the Sega Mark III and elsewhere as the Sega Master System.

I'll gladly have these on Switch. I just hope Sonic 2, 3, and/or Knuckles are in there somewhere, or at least later down the line. I'll likely support all these games anyway in hopes that they'll eventually give us more than just 15 games.

I'm cautious about that mini Genesis. Wouldn't be happy if AtGames or Retro-Bit have anything to do with it, unless there's a major boost in quality across the board.

More digital price gouging I'm guessing, just like the Neo Geo and Arcade Archive games. I don't understand how digital collections released years ago could contain a couple dozen or more games for about $20, and now, just because it's digital, and they can sell them for $8 - $10 apiece. These games have been rereleased dozens of times by now on different platforms at extremely low price, and I'm guessing Nintendo will allow another Switch tax for these as well.

Oh nice. I may get the Phantasy star ages thingy.

Wait do switch owners pay individually for each game? Did a classic collection come out that had all those games included?

Palindrome!! 😂

@Thumbsofsteel They couldn't call it Mega Drive in the US because somebody else already trademarked that name.

Thunder Force IV? I wonder if they are going to leave the name alone for the US or bring back its dopey renamed title Lightening Force? Then again, if it's like the 3DS Classics series... both options?

Sub-Terrania, Comix Zone, Sonic 2, Contra Hard Corps, Marsupilami, NBA Jam T.E., Earthworm Jim.

Yes, I am apparently the only human being alive who recognizes the brilliance of Marsupilami on the Genesis. Truly an underrated game.

I was hoping for a Super Monkey Ball announcement.

@Spectra On the mini systems you have ROMS that won't be lost when the eShop that served them up shuts down and the console you bought them on dies.

These mini consoles have no moving parts so they should last for many years.

@sketchturner good call on Sub Terrainia, I loved that game

I think Sega Ages is a brilliant idea but 15 games?!?!? Honestly they should act like Hamster and release one once a week. That would make them so much money. As for which titles well Sega Ages is the name so im going to assume its games from all of their previous platforms. My top wanted games are Chu Chu Rocket (Dreamcast), Streets of Rage 2 (Sega Genesis/Mega Drive), Golden Axe Warrior (Sega Master System), Outrun (Arcade), Vampire: Master of Darkness (Sega Game Gear), NiGHTS: Into Dreams (Sega Saturn), Sonic CD (Sega CD), and Knuckles Chaotix (Sega 32X).

The 3D Classics are excellent, so having M2 again is great news.

Now have them work on 3D Streets of Rage 3 and 3D Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Gee darnit.

@Handsomistic15 Even though M2 is excellent, I'd rather see the guy that brought 16:9 HD recreations of Sonic 1-2 and Sonic CD to various platforms get a crack at Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

A Sonic Mega Collection HD collection on disc/cartridge would be neat to see with all of his Sonic HD ports.

Love see some old Streets of Rage games come and including After Burner arcade.

At first I was bummed we didn't get the sega collection they announced for other systems...But now with M2 at the helm, I am really excited to see what they can do! The work they put into the 3d classics range was incredible and brought new life into those games. Things like HD rumble, split joycon support, etc... for games like Phantasy Star or their arcade games could be really great.

Not the biggest fan of mini-consoles, pretty done with this trend. I've got enough to hook up to my television and fiddle around with, would much rather have each existing console with an available classic games section/virtual console, with everything from that console's lineage (and more) available digitally.

Having gotten that opinion out of the way, I would sell my future first-born for the SEGA CD and Saturn libraries being re-released in some form (Lunar 1 & 2, Popful Mail, Snatcher, Rise of the Dragon, Silpheed, Urusei Yatsura, Grandia, Vay, Shining Force, Panzer Dragoon, NiGHTS, Guardian Heroes, Dragon Force, Keio, Sonic CD, etc...).

@Mr_Pepperami It's actually pretty great that we get individual titles. PS4 and Xbox only get a limited set of Genesis games. Switch owners get Ages games, which if you look at past Ages games, a lot of them were remade polygon games or remastered 2d games with all new sprites and artwork. So Switch owners have potential to get a lot of cool stuff that was never released in the west or has never been rereleased. PS4 and Xbox get the same old Genesis ROMs that have been making the rounds of every console and PC collection.

Well, think this makes VC even less likely, as companies are just resorting to releasing classics through their own means. But glad to hear this one, I’ll bite, it’s a start.

@LaytonPuzzle27 Those Sega Disney games would be amazing on Switch

@Tim_Vreeland it’s a weird one. It’s great if we get Saturn, Dreamcast and arcade titles as they aren’t really out on much at all. If they release the games that are on the genesis collection but at 8 pounds a pop then I think it’s a rip off and I won’t be happy at all.

It seems that with the Sega Mini here that Sega is supervising it more as opposed to just giving AtGames their name.

And these M2 developed “remixes” have the potential to be epic, plus since they are not emulations we might see games from all Sega hardware not just the Genesis.

I would love to have a Genesis mini, as long as the emulation is good is if it's as crappy as that one they sell now then I will not be buying it and I will just stick with the real deal. They need to make it just as good as the Nintendo ones with HDMI and save states and all the quality and care that Nintendo put into theirs.

If we're getting Sonic 1+2 yet again, then can we PLEASE have the Christian Whitehead Remasters? Those would go so nicely with Mania.

Anyway, wishlist.

Skies of Arcadia (Fav game, just put it on something more modern so I can recommend it to people!)
Knuckles Chaotix (Rare pricey game.)
Golden Axe Revenge of Death Adder (GA 1-3 has had enough rereleases.)
Sakura Wrs (Come on, if you're doing a new one at least translate the other 4!)
Arcade on rail shooters like HOTD or Vitura Cop (Should be easy using a joycon like a lightgun.)

@Menchi187
"Understand your place as a Switch owner"

Menchi is right, always remember Nintendo will always be last to Publishers regardless of their place in the 'Console War.'

Mainly due to them holding the hardware back, and even then, Nintendo unrestraing their future hardware may not ever be enough to put them back in first from Pubs perspective.

Nintendo chose this route years ago and are paying for it still. Sure Switch is successful, but a console's success don't matter to me if I doesn't allow me to play the games I want to play.

For the record, I don't care about these announcement s from Sega as they don't have any games I really care for.

I'll take a new Columns though.

This is incredibly lame. They should release a collection of 50 classics just like they're doing for the X and PS4.

If it's as hackable as the NES/SNES Mini is, this Genesis Mini will probably be getting a ton of my attention soon...

Don’t see anything huge about this. Retro games are cool and nice distractions between AAA releases or quick gaming sessions. Sega Mega Drive mini is whatever. How many times are the going to rehash that? Best announcement was Shenmue HD & that’s not even coming to Switch. As usual, Sega over hypes & under delivers

I hope sega has the balls to explain why switch wont get shenmue.

I hope that Mini Genesis is good. 🤞🏻

Don't get your hopes up, AtGames is responsible for the Megadrive Mini

https://twitter.com/ATGFlashback/status/985158110837911552

https://media.giphy.com/media/DsdVe5jhHWNC8/giphy.gif

Hmmm don’t think I’ll be double (triple? Quadruple?!) dipping into these.

Sounds enticing, but I'll hold out for the Mega pack that's coming to other consoles. Unless they're like, $3 apiece, then I'll bite on a few.

@Supadav03
mini genesis? old 16bit sega games?

not gonna buy this [removed]. dont care if it skipped the switch either.
it was a great console in the nineties, but i play games more then 3 decades, and the only 16 bit games that where enjoyable and ive played long after that period, where snes games. sega 16bit games have no replay value, also because alot of them where short and based on arcade games.

i would rather see more dreamcast games.

Made by atgames - beware!!!

That's what I thought; We've had Virtual Console all along. We've got the arcade games, and the Neo Geo games, and now we'll have Genesis and Master System games as well. So, it's just Nintendo games missing, and it sounds like we'll be getting those when their online service starts. I like it, I always thought it was stupid to separate the games into categories of virtual console, indie, and AAA, when they're all just games. If it's a good game, and I haven't played it, it's really no different than a game being released now.

@oji
I am bummed it's not coming to the switch. Maybe it will. Sad to say I have been waiting for this series to continue on since the end of part 2. I never waited on any game this much except for Phantasy Star 1 on my Master System...and I'm not going to get it? All because I chose the "wrong system?" I'm utterly disgusted in Sega this after being their biggest fan.....

Hopefully they give these games extra features while also choosing some that aren't already part of the 3D Classics range, otherwise I'll have no reason to double-dip.

My personal dream release would be a newly localized version of "Bare Knuckle 3" without all the dumb alterations they made in the original "Street of Rage 3" release. I think the basic gameplay is actually even better than SoR2, but the huge difficulty spike and the butchered story we were given in the Western release are huge negatives.

I literally bought Phantasy Star on Wii VC the night before this announcement because I had some points to spend. The first game is one of my favorites of all time. It’s probably too much to ask for Miracle Warriors, I don’t think Sega actually created that game for the Master System. I really hope this will be the Phantasy Star PlayStation 2 remake, that would be incredible, and a day 1 buy for me.

@CptFalcon I've never before seen a compilation release with "a couple dozen games" on it. You usually only get 7-10 games. Also, the entire point of a compilation is that it's cheaper and more convenient than buying each game separately, like a value meal at a fast-food restaurant. However, compilation releases are rare and only generally contain similar games from the same series and completely ignore more niche games and series. When you've got a larger, more diverse catalog available for individual purchases, naturally it's going to cost more on an individual basis to pick and choose exactly which games you want.

@Joekun Miracle Warriors was strangely fun for being so simple.

@mikegamer
I like how that AtGames twitter feed is 99% filled with "No!" GIFs. Just about universal hate for their godawful emulation and hardware. SEGA should have partnered with someone else. ANYONE else.

Lol do people listen to what Nintendo said at e3 and after....virtual console will launch when the paid service begins.they said this a few time already

At first I was irritated by this, but now:
Hoping for Sonic 1, 2, 3, Knuckles, CD, Streets of Rage trilogy, Golden Axe trilogy, Super Hang-on, Gunstar Heroes, Castlevania Bloodlines, House of the Dead 1-3, Panzer Dragoon series, Crazy Taxi, Dynamite Cop, and Skies of Arcadia.
Also hope any master and genesis games are less than $8.

ToeJam and Earl or no $ale from me

@aaronsullivan Agreed. I believe Miracle Warriors was my first JRPG. I somehow missed all of the NES ones until later.

@AirElephant Like M2, they actually know how to write a proper emulator. They wrote the GBA emulator for Wii U.

@Grumblevolcano : 3D classics at least offered something different that isn't possible elsewhere (thanks to stereoscopic 3D).

Ugh... This is the big surprise?

@AirElephant AtGames made great strides last year when they introduced their next-gen HD hardware running a Genesis emulator.

Most of the failings that were there continuously from the beginning with their poor Genesis-on-a-chip replication on a single integrated circuit went away when they moved to emulation.

And just like NOAC chips for NES software, these pieces of hardware cost an arm and a leg to modify and retool the factory to manufacture. So issues persist for years on end with no improvements ever seeming to be happening. But now that it's software emulation, accuracy improvements can economically occur from year to year in what's a tough market that requires cost to be kept in control to make it work (Not that they'll necessarily be improving their emulator continuously).

Should be seeing the first hint of that with these 2018 products, both on the Atari side and the Sega side. They've all but confirmed that high end open source Sega and Atari emulators are being licensed for this year's lineup in lieu of their own in-house but flawed emulators. I'm not sure what the obvious choice is for the Genesis side or if there are multiple possibilities that their hint could point towards, but it all but confirms that their Atari 2600 Flashbacks are going to be running Stella now.

That's one of videogaming's most respected and solid emulators, so Atari fans should be finding a lot to like with this year's upcoming AtGames products if that comes to pass. As long as they pick as well for the Sega side and their hardware is able to run it at full speed without frame skip, things should be much improved.

I'm still waiting for the HUGE announcement. When is that coming? Even if the entire MD back catalogue was available, this wouldn't rank as HUGE. I already have those games on my Mac..

Give us Saturn and Dreamcast games on Switch. Then I'd consider buying one. Give us a new console that can play all the Sega games via digital DL. I'd be all over that.

@Menchi187
Sony is surely involved in some way or another. Donˋt play so dumb, boy. 🙄

Now it's PCE's turn to get some love on the Switch ^^.

I would take a series of M2 enhanced ports over the Megadrive Collection any day of the week. They showed with the 3DS games how they can make something retro and still add new stuff totally in keeping with the game. This announcement is ace. More than 15 is promising but to be honest, it can keep going like the arcade archives for me

Im all in for a collection on physical Game card, but digital? Bleh no way! Skip

I'd lower expectations on the MD Mini. It's not being made by SEGA, but instead by ATGames who have been making cheap MD/Genesis clones for many years. The quality of their work is, to say the least, abysmal.

Perhaps they've somehow finally employed some talented engineers for this and upped their game, but there's nothing to suggest that's the case. This is not going to be on the same level as the NES and SNES mini.

As for the classics on the eShop, let's see. SEGA have traditionally kept to properties they own, neglecting the huge third party library the MD had.

@Atariboy
You seem better informed than many of us, including myself, about the state of emulation. Hopefully, AtGames recognizes that they have a serious credibility problem and are doing exactly what you say they are. Both SEGA's and their own reputation depends on it, since this is the first time SEGA has really put their full weight behind this type of product.

As an aside, it's too bad they didn't put a full-sized cartridge port on it so that they could do something Nintendo's mini consoles cannot, namely play actual cartridges. Perhaps the hints they've put out indicate that it's a possibility, though. (They could even revive the old "SEGA does what Nintendon't" slogan if it could.)

I much rather break open a monitor with ten rings than collect ten individual ones...

@kobashi100 LOL, that crap only washes so many times.

I'd rather have the "SEGA Genesis Classics" that's being released for PS4 and Xbox One but not Switch. Instead we get AGES.

@Menchi187 Yeah, whatever. Sony have been involved with Shenmue since they announced 3. Of course they want this kept off Switch, it’s kicking PS4’s arse in Japan right now and there is literally no reason to not do it. Like I said above, this whole ‘Sony isn’t involved’ crap is getting old. Of course they are.

AtGames are making it? then there's no point in taking a interest with this. Sound will be off and there's cheaper versions that let you use your own carts as well (not all work mind but still it's nice to have)

Just hack your SNES or NES mini and there you go, SEGA Mega Drive,Master System and 32x in one system with much better emulation.

@Banjos_Backpack This is AtGames hardware.

It's their next-gen HD platform that launched last year, which has supplanted their old SD Genesis-on-a-chip hardware that was so flawed, with a licensed open source Genesis emulator that's well respected taking the place of the 2017 product's AtGames developed emulator.

I don't mind buying old games, but I do mind buying the same 20 games again and again every time a new system comes out.
You'd think that with Sega's back catalogue we'd see some more gamez every now and then.

Normally I'd stick to the ones on Steam, but the quality of the emulation there is less than stellar.

@ClassSonicSatAm Sound issues were largely resolved with last year's HD release, using the new AtGames next-gen hardware platform with a new emulator.

Furthermore, a highly regarded Genesis emulator is going to be used with 2018 AtGames Sega products, in place of last year's emulator that was developed in-house for the launch of the HD line, but which still had issues.

That one largely fixed the audio issues that the old Genesis-on-a-chip integrated circuit had (Although the reputation for poor audio appears set to haunt AtGames into the future, even though it's no longer relevant with fixed audio), but it still had performance issues and mixed compatibility.

This latest step to license a quality emulator should finish off those issues.

@AirElephant There's an AtGames guy at the AtariAge forum that I spend a lot time at, so I have a direct link with them thanks to that connection.

I didn't buy the 2018 Sega Flashback plug and play, but after a manufacturing issue was rectified that saw an early pre-finalized version of the OS loaded into early units sent to reviewers, it looked and sounded good in videos. There was frame skip at times though, and some compatibility issues. So it's great that they're addressing that with a high quality Genesis emulator for their 2018 product range.

I did buy the Atari Flashback 8 Gold Edition, which saw similar improvements and ran on the same next-gen AtGames platform. Much improved, and with the AtGames emulator being replaced there with the highly regarded open source Stella emulator for 2018, it should be just about perfect.

Also, this is just a Japanese product for Sega of Japan. AtGames will be producing a domestic product with the same hardware guts and emulator, with a cartridge slot like they usually offer. And my AtariAge connection says that SD card rom loading, a feature of AtGames handhelds but not consoles, is also being heavily considered for the 2018 Sega/Atari consoles. So don't fear that you'll be stuck with a built-in game selection when this year's product line hits store shelves here.

You'll have original cartridge support (Sega console only, not the Atari counterpart), as well as quite possibly the ability to load roms.

@mikegamer @Atariboy
Apparently AtGames deleted the tweet, and I couldn't find the relevant post at Atari Age forums. Is there another link with this confirmation?

@Qun_Mang Here you go. He's the same guy managing their Twitter account.

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/277397-atgames-2018-speculation-thread/?p=4007491

And here's one of several posts about going to a new emulator for 2018.

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/266499-new-genesis-flashback/page-20#entry4007767

I didn't have any luck finding posts about their considering including a SD slot for rom support for 2018, like the AtGames Sega handhelds already have. The comments I found were always in response to questions about the AtGames Atari Flashback console plug and play line, which lacks the original cartridge port feature that the Genesis console units have (And thus has no expandability past the built-in library).

So while SD rom support is in the running for their 2018 Atari Flashback consoles, that one might not be finding its way to a Sega console this year. I thought it was under consideration as a feature addition to both lines, but now I'm unsure.

The Mini Mega Drive seems kind of redundant when you consider they've licensed out their games for release on other plug and play third party systems for years. Then again Nintendo didn't need to release the NES/SNES mini when so many of the games were on VC already...

@Qun_Mang Seriously? That's just sad lol, they couldn't take the heat it seems. You can find pics of it on RTG85's video reaction to it if you pause the video at the right times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTw9bQ4BEdc&t=2s

And http://atariage.com/forums/topic/277397-atgames-2018-speculation-thread/page-2#entry4007491

@Baker1000

The NES emulation on Wii U VC is hot garbage, too dark, too blurry, too laggy.

@Atariboy

Better not be the same one Sega uses on their Steam collections, because that's based off of Gens, and has horrendous YM2612 audio emulation.

@Iggy-Koopa Live in denial then, meanwhile I'll be enjoying games on all platforms since companies are willingly skipping the Switch for MANY games of their own volition, rightfully so.

@Menchi187 Wow, someone here's been working in the salt mines, yes?

@Baker1000 I doubt AtGames distributes their products in Japan. This is new to the Japanese marketplace.

@mikegamer I was trying to help him stop being a blind fanboy apologist, pretty sure that's the opposite.

@Atariboy
Hasn't Japan suffered enough without having the garbage touch of AtGames? You really need to stop defending them.

@Menchi187
Okay.

The best 3 games on the Sega Genesis were as follows:
1. Mutant League Hockey
2. Sonic the Hedgehog (all of them)
3. Pitfall

I really hope it doesn’t stop at 15. Jeez I can rattle off a ton of Sega classics right from the couch!

@FinalFrog no it's not a good game. Honestly don't bother

@Menchi187 lol

Sega's noticing how well older ports of Capcom titles have been selling on the Switch, so they're taking advantage of that by releasing games separately for $8 a piece, while PS4 and Xbox gets 50 games for $30. Seems legit!

Switch getting the shaft it appears as usual. I love my switch, but do tire of all these game announcements that are only hitting PS4/XBONE/PC with no switch version. Though I have a PS4 I want the added option of portability.

I do hope that all the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive catalog games from the Wii VC come to the Switch once the Wii Shop Channel is closed.

@mikegamer Suffered from what?

And AtGames made great strides in 2017 and is addressing emulation issues for 2018 by substituting quality open source emulators developed by the enthusiast community themselves, in place of the AtGames efforts that were programmed in-house.

No harm in pointing out that this company that never changed much despite tons of issues that needed rectifying, finally made major improvements in 2017 and has perhaps even greater improvements in store for 2018.

That so very much isn't the AtGames of old...

Nice to see this "Huge Announcement" has gotten Switch owners attention although not that surprising to say the least. I do like to see some arcade classics from M2 to be on the list. So i see Sega are still relying on AtGames on making their Mega Drive Mini. I bought one of them portable consoles by them and what a disaster it was for buying it.

About Sega Ages, it will depend on the selection and features, and if they choose the arcade versions when available, but the download-only part disappoints me. And I know I'll be afraid to see the retail announced later, if I buy it digitally.

I guess I'll wait anyway, and worst-case scenario it will be discounted at some point. It's not like these games haven't been playable a thousand times before.

So it will come down to how it compares to Sega Mega Drive Classics in terms of games list, emulation, features and such. I don't want it to be (but I fear it will) a lesser Sega Mega Drive Classics.

Hear some VC SEGA games I think be released for SEGA Ages Black Belt and Last Battle better known in Japan as the two Fist of the North Star games.

@BulbasaurusRex The Genesis Collection for XBox 360 had 49 Genesis games and could be found for $20 or less for most of the 360's lifespan, so I have no idea what you're talking about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic%27s_Ultimate_Genesis_Collection

@CptFalcon OK, that's one exception, but no other compilation out there contains anywhere near that level of value.

@BulbasaurusRex There have been a ton of compilations:

https://www.usgamer.net/articles/The-Best-Arcade-Machine-is-Your-PlayStation%202

I'm really not sure how old you are, but this was a very common thing in the PS2 era. Most of them included around 20 games. It was only with the virtual console and digital sales crap that companies decided to start gauging prices again.

A simple $20 SNK Arcade Classic PS2 game back in the day would cost over $100 buying them separately on the Switch. It's ridiculous.

@CptFalcon Well good for Sony, but that doesn't help Nintendo or Microsoft fans. Just because the PS2 was so utterly dominant in its day that Sony could afford to seriously devalue those games doesn't mean everyone needs to race to the bottom like on mobile. The best we ever got on Nintendo systems were compilations for the likes of Mega Man, Sonic, Kirby, Zelda, Metal Slug, and Samurai Shodown that contain less than a dozen games and cost $40-$50.

Besides, in a random collection of 20 games, you're probably only going to like about half of them, anyway.

@BulbasaurusRex Some were on XBox, some were on Gamecube at the time as well, it had nothing to do with a Sony thing or not. PS2 was by far the best selling console, so it's why they got the bulk of them.

I'm not sure why you're making a strawman argument over compilations - I just pointed out that the price of this things have gone up greatly since digital sales started and that's a factual statement.

If you want to pay what will likely be $7-$10 to play Sonic, Metal Slug, or whatever for the umpteenth time - then by all means, so do. To me it's a waste of money.

@CptFalcon OK, I see what you're talking about now. Those things only had simple '80s arcade games on them, so a couple dozen of them are indeed only worth about $20, as most people don't care about most of those ancient games today. I thought you meant there had been compilations of arcade games like you'd see on the Neo Geo, which you'd have to take a loss to ever come close to offering at that kind of ridiculous value. We're talking about actually good retro games here (with bonus features, to boot) from the '90s, which have always been at least worth around $5-$10 even before the rise of digital sales.

Speaking of which, prices for digital sales have always been at least in line with used game prices, as that's what demand has always considered them to be worth. Nobody has ever sold them for the kind of prices you want outside of garage/yard sales with just the one exception of that one Genesis compilation you mentioned before.

Of course I'm not going to double-dip on those specific games, but I'll gladly pay those prices for more obscure games I don't already have that have only ever been available for me before on the Wii Virtual Console (if even then) for a similar price and with extra features.