Update: The bundle is now available for pre-order on Amazon Japan. Feast your eyes on these shots:
While the cartridge included is for Sonic the Hedgehog, it's notable that the game isn't actually on the Japanese version of the console. Seeing as most people will already own multiple versions, that's probably for the best, although it's nice to have the mascot's debut game present in spirit with this mini cart.
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Original Story: The full Japanese lineup for the Sega Mega Drive Mini was revealed earlier via a Famitsu livestream featuring legendary composer Yuzo Koshiro. After the initial ten games were announced, Sega surprised us all with two extra games on the system (also coming to the west), but the surprises didn't stop there.
With hype reaching dangerous levels for fans the world over, the presenters proceeded to pull out a miniature Mega CD (or Sega CD, if you prefer):
This was swiftly followed by a mini 32X, plus a mini Sonic & Knuckles-style lock-on connecting cartridge and a normal cart:
Calm down, though - these are not functioning miniature consoles and carts in their own right. Unfortunately, they're only cosmetic items enabling you to build your own tower of peripherals.
It seems that very few people knew about these surprise little extras, including the good folks at M2 who developed the emulation software running in the console:
The exact manner in which you can get your hands on this tantalising Sega stack is a little unclear due to our Japanese being a bit rusty. According to Famitsu, the 'Mega Drive Mini Decoration Kit' will be released with the console on 19th September, but we'll get more details in the coming days - rest assured, we'll update this article the moment we know. There's no word on a western equivalent just yet, but we can dream...
The full list of games for the upcoming console is looking pretty tasty regardless of which version you're looking at - check out our pre-order guide if you're thinking of getting one of these little beauties in September. Regardless of how you feel about the console, Yuzo Koshiro seems pretty taken with it:
How much would you be prepared to pay to have your own Mega Mini Tower of Power? Would you be able to do a side-by-side comparison shot with the real thing? Let us know with a comment.
Comments 54
Its only missing the Game Genie!
This will be the first retro mini console I buy.
While we already had a Genesis through all of 1990, I got my own for my room on Xmas 1991. That was the last time I ever received a console as an Xmas gift and nothing will ever top that feeling for me.
Well, I did get the VB in 1995 but I accidentally found it while cleaning the house, diminishing the feels quite a bit.
I got rather excited when I saw these extras! Shame they're cosmetic only, I was expecting 32X and CD games to be announced. Seems a bit odd to release a tower that can only play Mega Drive games...
@BionicDodo Not really. If it did play 32x games they would only be emulated as are all the other games obviously.
Dude I am so hyped. I’m as excited for this as I was the NES/SNES mini. Sega’s really doing a great job here!
I'll get it if they release an english version.
That is amazing, this is blowing Classic Nintendo minis out of the water.
Shame they don't add on extra games to the roster, but looks beautiful
Neat little cosmetic extras.... All in all this looks like the real deal.
Lol that’s kind of cool. Anyone who owned the original stack of consoles knows how ridiculously awesome it was.
This is all I've ever wanted.
I hope that the Sega Genesis Mini immediately freezes up and needs to be powercycled the moment you even just breathe anywhere near that tower.
This perfectly understands that there's multiple layers of appeal to these miniature systems and I love it.
erm....why??? it looks great but is utterly pointless.
I had the full tower (Genesis/Sega CD/32X) back in the day; it was a blast. Seeing this, I can't help but feel conflicted. On the one hand, sure it's great nostalgia and "fan service" especially for those of us who owned the actual peripherals, but on the other hand seeing these revealed at this stage...only as cosmetic decorations...feels like leaving money on the table by Sega. I know I would have plunked down the extra cash to have been able to get fully functional add-ons with the likes of LUNAR/LUNAR 2, Silpheed, and Shining Force CD for the Sega CD, and Virtua Racing and Star Wars Arcade for the 32X, and I suspect many other gamers would have as well.
So here's where we place our hopes into the hands of the inevitable hackers, who perhaps may find a means to integrate Sega CD and 32X ROMs into the mix of additional Genesis/Mega Drive titles folks will be wanting to add to the Mini's library.
Wonderful that you can build the full original tower!
Let me guess, people are already writing articles about how this is a stealth announcement for Sega CD Mini and 32X Mini.
@AtlanteanMan Snatcher... Just put the English Snatcher rom in the MegaCD peripheral and I will sold like pancakes.
I saw the cartridges months ago when i pre-ordered it as they come with the Japanese super pack.
@SuperWeird yes. just like power rangers zords. Ultra thunder Genesis lol
Want to play Sonic & Knuckles? Too bad! You can pay us for a non-functional replica cartridge though.
Make them fully operational and I will throw you my money af !
amazing that a big, long-running website like this, centered around a Japanese company, still has not a single contact who can translate Japanese for them.
So the cartridge slot opens? Well, I won't buy this tower, but I might look on Etsy or something for a miniature Sonic 1 cartridge once people have access to the system and know its dimensions.
Bravo Sega, bravo.
Now let's get on with a Saturn mini please? Pretty please?
Too bad they're just worthless plastic, it's some nice gifts for those who just want them for display but me I could live without those. Working ones would had been cool though.
As somebody who owned a Sega CD, I would totally get one! It's a shame that Sega couldn't release the SEGA CD/32X as an add-on mini with it's own little library of games. I'd pay $40-50 if it had:
1). Night Trap
2). Sonic CD
3). Dracula Unleashed
4). Shining Force CD
5). Eternal Champions
6). Final Fight
7). Tomcat Alley
8). Double Switch
9). Sewer Shark
10). Lunar
11). Vay
@TurboTEF you mean like this?
This is great I wish someone did a small cartridge for the SNES mini so it looks as if a cart was actually in the machine
Looks like they are suffering form the same problem Nintendo have....they do one thing right and one thing wrong!
Why not have the decorations contain a NFC chip which unlocks 32x and mega cd games when added to the mega drive.
@BanjoPickles and Texas ground zero
These might be the most expensive useless peripherals that I am ever going to buy. Hopefully they all come in one pack and they cost under £40.
A mini console that took stock carts would have my money now.
This garbage is useless.
No way? No way!
I'd better be able to press ABC to at least play some blue spheres.
@N64-ROX that’s good, but I think you could fit one more & Knuckles there 😂
@N64-ROX
Oh yeah! Lol I forgot about the Powercbase Converter.
I wonder if we’ll get these in Europe?
Now you're playing with (fake) power.
Nice looks though. Might get it if it's not a Japan only exclusive.
Man that looks so cool, but it being cosmetic only is such a tease.
If only those cartridges actually worked and they could release little mini collections of say 20 games on each one for around £20 or so. And indie developers could even release cartridges with brand new games if they wanted too. Now that would be something special.
No Sonic 3 & Knuckles on the game list and yet they're releasing a little plastic non-functional Sonic & Knuckles lock-on cart for the system. Sega is just taunting us now lol
Ah well, I've still got my real Sega trifecta to play those on =)
Rumor (pulled out of my butt) these "cosmetic only" add-ons will have RFID chips that will unlock secret games
Honestly the only Sega game I truly want is Sonic 3 & Knuckles. It’s a shame the Michael Jackson estate is so stupid about things. (Also stupid that they got into bed with that creep in the first place.) I’d be fine if they just dropped his music tracks and commissioned somebody else to do them.
Preorder my Sega mini today through Gamestop. I’m very excited, we were always a Nintendo house from the NES on growing up so many of these will be new experiences to me. My Dad was a computer engineer and always preferred Nintendo’s technically superior (for the time) hardware.
@BanjoPickles That would be dope. Also needs Ground Zero Texas and Sewer Shark. And for the 32x Virtua Racing.
Holy moly that's SO damn cool. Going to Japan later this year...wonder if I'll still be able to grab one while I'm there...argh!
Why does it come with Sonic the Hedgeghog cart? Sonic and Knuckles didn't work with the first game
SO getting those if they get released over here of course, importing those will cost a bomb i reckon
Do Amazon Japan ship to the UK??
It's too bad Sega doesn't just include a handful of Sega CD games with the mini. For most people a handful is all they're after (Final Fight CD, Sonic CD and maybe the Core titles for me).
It looks sweet but like any childhood memory all things have changed. I may get it but I have the original so I will have to see.
Meh. I prefer the Sega CD 2, Genesis 2, and 32X. The 32X looks ugly on a Genesis Model 1. Though the Power Base Converter looks great on the Genesis Model 1.
Never in my life have I felt so tempted so throw away such a large amount of money on a pile of worthless plastic.
I have to admit as pointless as this is, if it got a UK release I would probably buy it. but im not spending loads of money importing something that is effectively a useless item. Its a shame they didnt do something crazy and make them working but I can see why they didnt. its really good to see what is effectively a new sega console
It looks so ViEwtiful........"Tears coming down my eyes" I can only imagine now hopefully if we could ever get Alien vs Predator 32x version and Star Wars Arcade 32x edition,that would be icing on the cake! Pretty Awesome collectors item for the Sega Mini Drive console.It looks like Sega is coming back to the Console era now Yesssssssss Lol.All we need now is Dreamcast mini with Shemnue 1 & 2,Sonic Adventures 1 & 2,Resident Evil Code Veronica and Panzer Dragon saga and my Gaming dreams will be fulfilled! I hope Sega takes notice what us Gaming nerd fans want and to do this make the next Sega mini console.
Totally awesome add ons! Does seem odd that they are for decorative purposes only, a short list of games for each would have been fantastic. Still a lot of fun
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