Oh man, I still remember clearly.. I was 9 and asked for a NES from my dad. He said if I do well in my exams, he'll buy me one. I did. Then followed him to Toys R Us to buy the console. To my surprise, he bought me a Mega Drive instead! Together with Golden Axe & Sonic the Hedgehog. You couldn't even imagine the happiness I felt on that day. Love you dad!
I was a bit older at the time but no chance my father would buy me a console, even a portable one, too expensive =( I played the Mega Drive the first time at a friend´s house during elementary school.
@@drewirons2646 Haha no I really liked it, I'm actually a big fan of Mike Matei but I prefer comparisons and deep technical explanations as opposed to an empty game store with people getting into fake fights :P Was funny and entertaining tho
@@JeBubbieSpubbies I think they could probably get a good thing going with Retail Reviews, but it can't feel like they just turned on the camera and hoped for the best. There are simply too many high quality and informative videos on retro games these days for them to just be so off-the -cuff. If they are trying to go the RedLetterMedia route, they can't talk over each other so much and they need to follow a loose outline. I think they could probably make it more casual than something like My Life in Gaming, but they need to also be straighforward in their delivery.
God yes, Powerstone 1&2, Shenmue 1&2, Ferrari F355 Challenge, Code Veronica, Crazy Taxi, Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio, Marvel Vs Capcom, Grandia 2 for starters, give it to me!
keyword being mini console, good thing to get as a collectors item or for the kids, but not something people familiar with the original hardware should hedge on seriously. Tinny sound in places, constant Sound lag and input lag and fixed library. Might as well emulate or bite the bullet and go Analogue.
John, you inspire me to do better. Your breakdowns are phenomenal and incredibly thorough. Keep being a master at your craft, the rest of us have a lot to learn!
Thank you for such a detailed look at the console, nobody else I've watched mentioned the exact number of frames between the sound and the action, and most importantly you finally made it clear that resolution is 320x224 instead of the more commonly used 320x240, which introduces uneven scaling.. I would say this is the most comprehensive breakdown I've seen so far, even comparing the sound, which is super important.. Great video!!
I cannot wait for this! I have two machines pre-ordered. One for me and one for my fiancee. We are huge gamers for life and many of our friends are gamers as well. We are having a 16-bit console throwdown this weekend. We are setting up multiple screens with multiple Genesis Mini's and Snes Mini's (10 screens with 2 mini's each). We will be featuring a Sega Genesis (model 1 '89) and Snes (original '91)on their own screens in our retro room. Our home arcade will be rocking as well and for kicks my Neo Geo AES will be going in our living room. Further, I have a selection of 8 MVS carts for our two MVS candy cabs running that are from the Neo Geo's first 2 years in the arcade. Even though we do have multiple Xbox One X 's, PSPRO's, and Switches...there will be no new games played this weekend. Bring on the retro games! My fiance and I have a 4 day weekend coming in preperation for this monumental occasion. I started gaming in 1985 and 1986 with the Nes and Master System respectively. The Sega Genesis turned me into a hardcore gamer that I am today. My fiancee started in 1996 with the N64 (she is younger than me). Sorry....I'm so freaking stoked! Thank you Digital Foundry!
Nick Tronson No one wanted a Master system ever at least in the UK, the Amiga was the go to machine and after that import PC Engine or Megadrive in the late 80's. The Master System like the NES were 8 bit shite that no one cared about. They were better than 8 bit early 80's computer yes but dog shite compared to 16 bit computers, no one cares.
Really happy to hear that the PAL-versions also run at 60hz. That was something that worried me, as the Mega Drive Mini will only release in Europe in october, and I'm not sure if the american versions of the games are available on the european Mega Drive Mini.
first time i've watched one of your videos but you hit the nail on the head: the best way will always be original hardware through RGB into a CRT. anything else will mean compromises somewhere. £65 for a replica box and 42 games is a good deal. i am a bit disappointed in the audio delay and would have appreciated something a little more scientific about input delay other than "it feels like a few frames".
@@laatmaarzien he doesn't measure it. what the hell are you talking about. he did a slow motion capture for audio delay but nothing for input delay and all his comments were qualitative only
Gunstar Heroes was one of the best and most technical side scrolling beatem ups in it's day. One of my favs growing up. Super original artwork, contra style weapon system and close quarters throw mecahnics just made it memorable for me.
As much as l loved the Mickey Mouse games, out of the 2, Castle of Illusion is the best. Would've swapped World of Illusion with Quackshot. Those Disney games are legendary on the Mega Drive. Alien Storm, what a game that was. Surprised to see Road Rash 2. Shame there wasn't a PGA Golf game, more so European Tour. Shame that Tetris has been tweaked, so it's not the original. Two Crude Dudes, Tazmania and EA Hockey. Never played Earthworm Jim, was shocked how great it still looked. And the Japanese version has 6 button controllers. Forgotten Worlds and MERCS. Strider soundtrack is legendary.
I was waiting for Digital Foundry's take on the mini. Looks pretty good. Put in a pre-order just now because, hey, if DF says it's good, who am I to disagree?
The sound delay is a little off putting but I don't think most people will notice that too much. Overall the console looks great and I agree that there's a great selection of games here even if some other key ones are missing like Revenge of Shinobi. Great review.
I noticed it in earlier videos before SGM released with the delay and sound shown here.Been playing Genesis for a very long time and it's very noticeable in my opinion?
@@CAPCOM784 Yeah perhaps, I haven't played many Megadrive games on emulator as I have most of the originals that I want, but it's something to think about if I get the Megadrive mini.
Oh my, I have been waiting for this the whole day! Mega Drive is my second favorite console of all time! And I hate it how companies like AtGames have ruined its reputation as they make it seem way worse than it actually is!
I have been so excited to get this Genesis Mini. I can't wait. I had a Nintendo as a kid and although everyone I knew seemed to love the Super Nintendo, I thought Sega Genesis was the coolest thing in the world. Wish I didn't have to wait anymore, but Thursday will be here soon enough.
I don't own any M2 developed games/port but I was always under the impression that they were the best of the best when it came to porting games I understand not anything is perfect but the audio lag is just shocking I mean did anyone not noticed I mean it's pretty blatant either way I'm buying one for my daughter I have to make up for the debacle when I bought the at games version I bought a while back
@@shaggymcdaniel3216 @Lord Punchings its as bad an the revered nes mini and snes mini. People are hating on the genesis mini for audio delay but pretend that nes and snes mini dont have it...It bafles me
@@ajbad4ever Been saying I don't know how people are defending the Sega Genesis Mini with all these problems?I knew it wouldn't be 100% but damn this is like 70%-60%???
This is the one I'm really waiting on. I had a NES, SNES and Genesis as a kid but I never had access to an TG16. They were so exotic lol. I sure hope they get it right. I'm looking forward to trying some games out with an OE controller.
@@jokerzwild00 I got the Turbo instead of the Genesis for Christmas one year. My best friend got the Genesis. We loved playing Herzog Zwei and Golden Axe at his house. My house was Bonk, Military Madness, Splatterhouse, Blazing Lazers..... I could go on. Man those were the days.
Thanks for showing the music at the end, really appreciate that 👍 Also input delay I didn’t know existed on the NES Mini as I have one I backed and put a bunch of games on. Still don’t own an SNES mini tho, too expensive for me atm :(
Nit picky as always... Do I expect anything less from Digital Foundry? Absolutely not 👍 Am I still getting it? Absolutely. Very excited to relive my Sega teenage years even wit a 10 frames sound delay 😝
I was waiting for this review. As a mattee of fact, this was the only video I wanted to see before deciding if I would buy it. Yes, you guys have become such a respected source of information that at this point you are almost the last word (for me at least) in hardware/retro reviews (along with My Life In Gaming). Keep up then great work!!!!
Great video and I like that you have nit-picked at the right places. The internet is all gaga over this mini console and there are no critical reviews. This really helps!
Excellent video John! Since you mentioned Rocket Knight Adventures, that would be a pretty cool series to do a technical retrospective on. That first game is one of the greatest looking on the console.
Great review! Far better than most others i've seen. Imo, the genesis mini surpasses both of nintendo's offerings, and i say that as an SNES diehard. Most of the audio issues are pretty minor and fairly similar to other minis (especially the nes classic). I wasn't expecting perfect emulation. For $80, this thing is a steal with the library of games as far as legal options go to play.
I'm glad that the quality of this is roughly on-par with the SNES Classic, sound delay aside. SNES Classic is a great package as it is, and I've gotten a ton of play out of the 21 games Nintendo included there. Looking forward to picking up the Genesis Mini and hopefully enjoying myself just as much there.
Sega Genesis Mini/ Mega Drive Mini is compatible with the Retrobit Sega USB controllers . Japanese games are easier cause they made western games harder out of spite towards video rentals . So customers rent games longer to earn revenue at all .
Finally bought one a week or so ago. NES was my first system but Genesis was the one that really go me hooked on video games and M2's take on this mini version is great. Hope Sega eventually works with them on a Dreamcast mini. I know that's probably a ways off given some comments that execs at Sega have made regarding price of parts and all that, but we'll get there at some point.
amazing analysis work, thx a lot DF !!! I'll buy it even if the audio part is a let down...too bad I was really looking forward for the thunderforce3 OST...
Yes sir, this IS exactly how a mini console should be built & priced! SEGA not only thinking of profits but reasonable & equally entertaining quality product for both the ol' faithful ones AND the new generation fans! THANKS SEGA. The GENESIS Lives!
That is a trick I think Nintendo and now Sega have missed. If the mini consoles could support mini carts im sure people would pay $15-$20 for each game.
Aftermarket 6 Button Pads will surely come. For me as a kid in the early 90's, only having 3 Buttons on the Genesis is what led me to buying Mortal Kombat on the SNES. Nintendo made a stupid mistake that was fixed in MK2, but I have fond memories of 1st Party Genesis games.
Not only that, but if you're going to show regional differences in Dynamite Headdy, there are other bosses in the game that look 100% different from each other and would have been a far better example.
@@pferreira1983 because they already said they weren't going to. Just like Nintendo isn't going to do an N64 mini. Who is going to buy a Saturn mini? Lol. It would be such a tiny market. Not many people have nostalgia for the Saturn. It would be a loss for Sega to make that mini.
As if the sound delay wasn't already a big enough issue (although the NES and SNES Mini also had sound delay but still), the Mega Drive Mini also has to have that old sound fail from Gens emulator... :/ I personally don't care much about those mini consoles anyway but this is still a shame that the quality controll was barely there...
Great to see all that beautiful Japanese box art. The Japanese MD has some of the most stunning box art of all time, I've been a passionate collector since 1989. I had zero interest in any of these retro mini consoles until now, but I think this one may have swayed me. The M2 factor seals the deal.
Meh. Sonic 3 Complete and Sonic 3 Angel Island Revisited have superseded the original Sonic 3 & Knuckles entirely. I wouldn't play Sonic 3 on the Genesis Mini if it was on there.
You can download that to play on most systems, and there are about a billion collection that it is featured in. making room for games that have had few or none re-releases is more important.
@@Dhlamedia He took himself off the credits, his estate has zero claim to the rights. They couldn't put Sonic 3 on the mini because they needed room for the super popular and much requested Sonic Spin Ball.
While I love DF they are talking about the 2017 ATGames Sega Genesis Flashback HD as not good which was true but the 2018 version is actually not too bad. With that being said I still am looking forward to picking up my preorder for the Official Sega Genesis Mini!
I'd buy this system if it wasn't for the extra input lag. For me, emulating the Genesis in RetroArch on a gaming PC with a G-Sync monitor is the way to go. The input lag is barely existent (if any at all), some of the shaders look fantastic, and overclocking the emulated CPU does wonders at speeding up games like Road Rash 2. Idk about the music quality and audio delay though. I didn't grow up with the Genesis (Only played at a friend's house), so I wouldn't know how the music in these games are supposed to sound exactly. And the audio delay too. That's the thing the emulation... You win some, you lose some. Amazing job yet again, John. You rock.
I loved and praised sega for having a headphone jack. When i was a kid in the early 90s it was the one thing that got me my sega, cause i told my parent's it wouldn't bug them with the sound cause it had a headphone jack great times. lmao
I'm surprised that Sega doesn't make more remaster collections on the PS4, X1, and Switch of games from the Genesis, Saturn, and DreamCast. I'm not of these mini consoles or clone consoles. However, I'm sure fans will appreciate the attention to detail with this. Anyway, I think a lot of fans would probably want a remaster collection released physically for PS4, X1, and Switch; especially if the remastered graphical options will look good and the audio is properly remastered.
Oh man, I still remember clearly.. I was 9 and asked for a NES from my dad. He said if I do well in my exams, he'll buy me one. I did. Then followed him to Toys R Us to buy the console. To my surprise, he bought me a Mega Drive instead! Together with Golden Axe & Sonic the Hedgehog. You couldn't even imagine the happiness I felt on that day. Love you dad!
Ozarudin Azman Awww that’s amazing. This story made me smile.
More stories like this please. Everyone always claims they "played when they were a kid", yet can never cite memories like these.
I was a bit older at the time but no chance my father would buy me a console, even a portable one, too expensive =( I played the Mega Drive the first time at a friend´s house during elementary school.
You took exams at 9?
Pro same thing happened to me bro than I fell in love with the Sega Genesis I played sonic 1 and mortal combat lol😅
This is by far the best review of this console on UA-cam, thank you for taking the time to break it down properly :)
You didn't like the Cinemassacre one? ;-P
@@drewirons2646 Haha no I really liked it, I'm actually a big fan of Mike Matei but I prefer comparisons and deep technical explanations as opposed to an empty game store with people getting into fake fights :P Was funny and entertaining tho
@@JeBubbieSpubbies I think they could probably get a good thing going with Retail Reviews, but it can't feel like they just turned on the camera and hoped for the best. There are simply too many high quality and informative videos on retro games these days for them to just be so off-the -cuff. If they are trying to go the RedLetterMedia route, they can't talk over each other so much and they need to follow a loose outline. I think they could probably make it more casual than something like My Life in Gaming, but they need to also be straighforward in their delivery.
@@emersonarmstrong89 Right; it would do them well to do something more like RedLetterMedia. Casual and fun conversation, but to the point.
If Sega made a Dreamcast Mini I would buy it instantly day one.
Tell me about it!
Me too!
Same!!!! Dunno about it every happening though sadly.
I would buy 2!
God yes, Powerstone 1&2, Shenmue 1&2, Ferrari F355 Challenge, Code Veronica, Crazy Taxi, Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio, Marvel Vs Capcom, Grandia 2 for starters, give it to me!
The Mega Drive had some of the best soundtracks for their games. Streets of Rage 2 by far has the best soundtrack on the MD and of all time.
Eric Cartman I totally agree !!
Tetris on the MD mini is actually a brand new version, not just the old unreleased game.
Why no piece preview?
@@richardhutnik there is at the top, just one though
It's Tetris, what do people expect?
@@nintendo1889x It's M2, so they used the OG Sega Tetris arcade assets and programmed a new version.
@@nintendo1889x The original (unreleased) version was quite flawed, mostly the controls. And no, Tetris is not just Tetris :)
That Genesis sound chip was no joke. Plugging headphones into was so awesome.
16:35 Urgh, sound delay :( Thank you for pointing that out, this is the kind of detail I look forward to being discussed in your videos.
Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis
When I was dead broke, man I couldnt picture this
GT45000 fifty inch screen money green leather sofa
BIG ;)
Got 2 rides, a limousine and a chauffeur....
John states in the video that the Mega Drive/Genesis Mini is his favourite mini console yet at 4:37. That's good enough for me :)
keyword being mini console, good thing to get as a collectors item or for the kids, but not something people familiar with the original hardware should hedge on seriously.
Tinny sound in places, constant Sound lag and input lag and fixed library. Might as well emulate or bite the bullet and go Analogue.
Until tg16cdgrafx mini drops lol but I'm getting both
Can always count on you Jon for the most in-depth and trusted reviews of anything retro. Thanks for your hard work!
I love your retro videos John! Even if it is a territory that I now very little about you always manage to make this interesting.
John, you inspire me to do better. Your breakdowns are phenomenal and incredibly thorough. Keep being a master at your craft, the rest of us have a lot to learn!
Best review of the Mini so far. Excellent work, including the great choice of music and editing throughout!
Thank you for such a detailed look at the console, nobody else I've watched mentioned the exact number of frames between the sound and the action, and most importantly you finally made it clear that resolution is 320x224 instead of the more commonly used 320x240, which introduces uneven scaling.. I would say this is the most comprehensive breakdown I've seen so far, even comparing the sound, which is super important.. Great video!!
Genesis games got some sick tracks!
I cannot wait for this! I have two machines pre-ordered. One for me and one for my fiancee. We are huge gamers for life and many of our friends are gamers as well.
We are having a 16-bit console throwdown this weekend. We are setting up multiple screens with multiple Genesis Mini's and Snes Mini's (10 screens with 2 mini's each). We will be featuring a Sega Genesis (model 1 '89) and Snes (original '91)on their own screens in our retro room. Our home arcade will be rocking as well and for kicks my Neo Geo AES will be going in our living room. Further, I have a selection of 8 MVS carts for our two MVS candy cabs running that are from the Neo Geo's first 2 years in the arcade. Even though we do have multiple Xbox One X 's, PSPRO's, and Switches...there will be no new games played this weekend.
Bring on the retro games! My fiance and I have a 4 day weekend coming in preperation for this monumental occasion. I started gaming in 1985 and 1986 with the Nes and Master System respectively. The Sega Genesis turned me into a hardcore gamer that I am today. My fiancee started in 1996 with the N64 (she is younger than me). Sorry....I'm so freaking stoked! Thank you Digital Foundry!
Love John’s work & DF Retro Sunday’s!!
Ahh the power of blast processing is still unrivaled
The Sega Master System didn't need blast processing.
@ Its still being sold as it is still in demand. No mini.
@ btw, your face is rubbish.
Nick Tronson
No one wanted a Master system ever at least in the UK, the Amiga was the go to machine and after that import PC Engine or Megadrive in the late 80's. The Master System like the NES were 8 bit shite that no one cared about. They were better than 8 bit early 80's computer yes but dog shite compared to 16 bit computers, no one cares.
Really happy to hear that the PAL-versions also run at 60hz. That was something that worried me, as the Mega Drive Mini will only release in Europe in october, and I'm not sure if the american versions of the games are available on the european Mega Drive Mini.
This thing would be DOA in PAL regions otherwise. The era of the Genesis was not kind to PAL region gamers.
It's so heartwarming to see John finally diving back into PC CRTs :')
first time i've watched one of your videos but you hit the nail on the head: the best way will always be original hardware through RGB into a CRT. anything else will mean compromises somewhere. £65 for a replica box and 42 games is a good deal. i am a bit disappointed in the audio delay and would have appreciated something a little more scientific about input delay other than "it feels like a few frames".
theycallmejpj more scientific than measuring the delay like he does in the video?
@@laatmaarzien he doesn't measure it. what the hell are you talking about. he did a slow motion capture for audio delay but nothing for input delay and all his comments were qualitative only
I love the amount of detail you out into the review. Fantastic work as always!
37 minutes of genesis talk? Great start to a Sunday
Agreed
But its not 37 minutes long?
Jonathan Graber yeah I had watched gamesacks vid right before this and got my times thrown off
Aladdin genesis > Aladdin live action cash-in
Aladdin Deck Enhancer> all
That was a low self steem Jazmín movie. More of the same wahmen pandering.
This is the Genesis Mini review I’ve been waiting for.
At 1:34 - the most epic moment of the video. The music from the credits of Thunder Force 4. I LOVE this game. Thanks DF.
I grew up on Nintendo consoles but this seems to be the best overall "classic/mini" console.
Gunstar Heroes was one of the best and most technical side scrolling beatem ups in it's day. One of my favs growing up. Super original artwork, contra style weapon system and close quarters throw mecahnics just made it memorable for me.
Such a professional review, really nice and good informations. Keep working like this !
Incredible work as always, John! Thank you!
As much as l loved the Mickey Mouse games, out of the 2, Castle of Illusion is the best. Would've swapped World of Illusion with Quackshot. Those Disney games are legendary on the Mega Drive. Alien Storm, what a game that was. Surprised to see Road Rash 2. Shame there wasn't a PGA Golf game, more so European Tour. Shame that Tetris has been tweaked, so it's not the original. Two Crude Dudes, Tazmania and EA Hockey. Never played Earthworm Jim, was shocked how great it still looked. And the Japanese version has 6 button controllers. Forgotten Worlds and MERCS. Strider soundtrack is legendary.
The production of this episode was great. Entertaining to watch even if you aren't into a genesis.
I was waiting for Digital Foundry's take on the mini. Looks pretty good. Put in a pre-order just now because, hey, if DF says it's good, who am I to disagree?
Fanboy have your own opinion.
Yup SOR music; so good it deserved to have been used twice 👍🏻. Well done on another solid video, keep up the good work 👏🏼
The sound delay is a little off putting but I don't think most people will notice that too much. Overall the console looks great and I agree that there's a great selection of games here even if some other key ones are missing like Revenge of Shinobi. Great review.
I noticed it in earlier videos before SGM released with the delay and sound shown here.Been playing Genesis for a very long time and it's very noticeable in my opinion?
@@CAPCOM784 Yeah perhaps, I haven't played many Megadrive games on emulator as I have most of the originals that I want, but it's something to think about if I get the Megadrive mini.
Composite is why. Composite is no longer used. Don't blame SEGA, blame Modern FTC Standards for NTSC.
Fantastic video as always John! Thank you!
Man, Streets of Rage 2 had such a brilliant soundtrack.
David Addis yeah agreed , still one of my favourites 👍😊
So amazing review by DF, once again you are the true king of tech!
Oh my, I have been waiting for this the whole day! Mega Drive is my second favorite console of all time! And I hate it how companies like AtGames have ruined its reputation as they make it seem way worse than it actually is!
I have this on preorder! I keep fantasizing about the Saturn Mini that will never come!
They should sell a mini Mega CD or Mini 32x and make them give the console Mega CD and 32x games.
I just want them to jump straight to the Dreamcast mini lol.
Why would I want to play 32x games?
Just Another UA-cam Channel I agree, or just put those game libraries on a Genesis Mini, would be so easy for them to do
32X is a lot heavier to run, and apparently it was a challenge enough for M2 to get the ordinary Megadrive games to run well.
A 32X mini with Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter, Chaotix and Doom (with the farting soundtrack)
I have been so excited to get this Genesis Mini. I can't wait. I had a Nintendo as a kid and although everyone I knew seemed to love the Super Nintendo, I thought Sega Genesis was the coolest thing in the world. Wish I didn't have to wait anymore, but Thursday will be here soon enough.
First review I've seen that goes in-depth on the audio. That delay issue is a no-go for me :(
Gamesack talks about it as well. I have been posting comments about it and people are going apeshit with the replies
I don't own any M2 developed games/port but I was always under the impression that they were the best of the best when it came to porting games I understand not anything is perfect but the audio lag is just shocking I mean did anyone not noticed I mean it's pretty blatant either way I'm buying one for my daughter I have to make up for the debacle when I bought the at games version I bought a while back
Support Sega and buy one anyways.
@@shaggymcdaniel3216 @Lord Punchings its as bad an the revered nes mini and snes mini. People are hating on the genesis mini for audio delay but pretend that nes and snes mini dont have it...It bafles me
@@ajbad4ever Been saying I don't know how people are defending the Sega Genesis Mini with all these problems?I knew it wouldn't be 100% but damn this is like 70%-60%???
This is the stuff you can get ONLY from Digital Foundry. Fantastic work.
Pre ordered mine. Lets hope Game Stop stays open till its release. Lol. Now on to the TurboGrafx 16 mini!!
This is the one I'm really waiting on. I had a NES, SNES and Genesis as a kid but I never had access to an TG16. They were so exotic lol. I sure hope they get it right. I'm looking forward to trying some games out with an OE controller.
@@jokerzwild00 I got the Turbo instead of the Genesis for Christmas one year. My best friend got the Genesis. We loved playing Herzog Zwei and Golden Axe at his house. My house was Bonk, Military Madness, Splatterhouse, Blazing Lazers..... I could go on. Man those were the days.
Thanks for showing the music at the end, really appreciate that 👍
Also input delay I didn’t know existed on the NES Mini as I have one I backed and put a bunch of games on.
Still don’t own an SNES mini tho, too expensive for me atm :(
Nit picky as always...
Do I expect anything less from Digital Foundry? Absolutely not 👍
Am I still getting it? Absolutely.
Very excited to relive my Sega teenage years even wit a 10 frames sound delay 😝
Gotta respect the dedication they have to their craft 👍 digging down to the molecular level of a 16bit emulator's performance ? - only DF 👏
Barley anyone is going to notice that sound delay anyway
When it's DF Retro, you're in for a blast. Good job as always John!
God damn UA-cam - stop recommending excellent videos that make me want to by a mega drive mini!
Good to see the High Definition Graphics text is properly accurate for once.
Contra Hard Corps is one of my favourite childhood games.
the train robot tho
@@robertbektas1810 So good.
TripleFermentation I only found out about the game this year and it’s one of my favourites. I’m glad it’s playable in two ways.
@@robertbektas1810 It blew me away when I was 7 or 8, and I played the hell out of it. There's a secret ending that I found as well :D
TripleFermentation if you play as Sheena it’s the most progressive ending cause it’s lesbian and inter-species relationship
I love new powerful GPU/modern graphics and I love retro games. Digital Foundry offers both. Yes!
No mention of Toejam & Earl or Phantasy Star 4? I expected more from you, John.
Thank you for another fantastic video ! You're in a league all of your own, John. Incredible work!
ost of thunder force 4
I was waiting for this review. As a mattee of fact, this was the only video I wanted to see before deciding if I would buy it. Yes, you guys have become such a respected source of information that at this point you are almost the last word (for me at least) in hardware/retro reviews (along with My Life In Gaming). Keep up then great work!!!!
As long as they play as good as snes classic I'll be pleased as punch.
Great video and I like that you have nit-picked at the right places. The internet is all gaga over this mini console and there are no critical reviews. This really helps!
Excellent video John! Since you mentioned Rocket Knight Adventures, that would be a pretty cool series to do a technical retrospective on. That first game is one of the greatest looking on the console.
Yeah it's strange the first game looks the best out of the whole series.
Great review! Far better than most others i've seen. Imo, the genesis mini surpasses both of nintendo's offerings, and i say that as an SNES diehard. Most of the audio issues are pretty minor and fairly similar to other minis (especially the nes classic). I wasn't expecting perfect emulation. For $80, this thing is a steal with the library of games as far as legal options go to play.
It seems the YM2612 source code was pulled out from earlier Genesis emulators like Gens or Kega... Fusion 3.64 has the sound issues resolved.
I'm glad that the quality of this is roughly on-par with the SNES Classic, sound delay aside. SNES Classic is a great package as it is, and I've gotten a ton of play out of the 21 games Nintendo included there. Looking forward to picking up the Genesis Mini and hopefully enjoying myself just as much there.
Unsurprisingly this is the best review of the console. Great job
p.s. Your MD's reset button is a travesty
Sega Genesis Mini/ Mega Drive Mini is compatible with the Retrobit Sega USB controllers . Japanese games are easier cause they made western games harder out of spite towards video rentals . So customers rent games longer to earn revenue at all .
Dude for real where did you get the mini cartridges?!
Great video! Might have to pick one of these up after Christmas.
So the key question is: which Darius is better? This brand new MD Darius or the Super Darius on PC Engine CD?
Finally bought one a week or so ago. NES was my first system but Genesis was the one that really go me hooked on video games and M2's take on this mini version is great. Hope Sega eventually works with them on a Dreamcast mini. I know that's probably a ways off given some comments that execs at Sega have made regarding price of parts and all that, but we'll get there at some point.
Great video as usual, but what with the audio levels? They are all over the place from section to section.
amazing analysis work, thx a lot DF !!! I'll buy it even if the audio part is a let down...too bad I was really looking forward for the thunderforce3 OST...
I still think Sonics Ultimate Genesis Collection on Xbox360 is the best way to play Sega Genesis games on modern consoles.
It is, but that's last gen and those are getting rare themselves.
@@saynotop2w Genesis Collection on XB1 is better, has Landstalker
@@axrevolutionai The Xb1 and PS4 Collection also has lag and worse emulation.
M2’s emulation is STILL 97-98% spot on in my book which is an A plus!! Excellent job M2!!
Even in 2019 Genesis Does what Nintendon't...
Real_Sgt_Tom is it input lag?
Yes sir, this IS exactly how a mini console should be built & priced!
SEGA not only thinking of profits but reasonable & equally entertaining quality product for both the ol' faithful ones AND the new generation fans!
THANKS SEGA.
The GENESIS Lives!
You gotta tell us how you got those custom mini cartridges, John L.
DeL Keyes agreed! Was just about to ask the same
That is a trick I think Nintendo and now Sega have missed. If the mini consoles could support mini carts im sure people would pay $15-$20 for each game.
They are a pre-order bonus for the Mini.
theonik2006 from which retailer
@@TheTechnique Yes I have to know I preordered at Gamestop.
Aftermarket 6 Button Pads will surely come. For me as a kid in the early 90's, only having 3 Buttons on the Genesis is what led me to buying Mortal Kombat on the SNES. Nintendo made a stupid mistake that was fixed in MK2, but I have fond memories of 1st Party Genesis games.
my childhood stil in 2019. :)
Props to you John for using SSH songs in a lot of your videos!
i always wanted a thing called tuna sashimi !
Excellent straight forward breakdown and comparison. Especially as there are so many Genesis collections.
5:50 editing blooper.
JP (purple) and US (brown) are placed incorrectly.
Not only that, but if you're going to show regional differences in Dynamite Headdy, there are other bosses in the game that look 100% different from each other and would have been a far better example.
I heard about the sound and control issues from another review, but now I'm not worried about it. Thanks.
I can’t wait till they do a Sega Saturn mini and Dreamcast mini :D
They aren't doing those
@@subzero8679 How do you know?
@@pferreira1983 because they already said they weren't going to. Just like Nintendo isn't going to do an N64 mini. Who is going to buy a Saturn mini? Lol. It would be such a tiny market. Not many people have nostalgia for the Saturn. It would be a loss for Sega to make that mini.
@@subzero8679 Where did Sega state that? Interested to read the interview or article.
Came back to get myself hyped for the Model 2 , hope u guys cover that when it comes out
It's a purchase obviously, however. No Super Shinobi????
13:35 lol This is an ancient stuff from gems emulator.
I don't have those on, Kega Fusion, Mednafen, BlastEm
As if the sound delay wasn't already a big enough issue (although the NES and SNES Mini also had sound delay but still), the Mega Drive Mini also has to have that old sound fail from Gens emulator... :/
I personally don't care much about those mini consoles anyway but this is still a shame that the quality controll was barely there...
Go look at other UA-cam channels most say good things about Sega Genesis Mini
Never cared much for these Mini consoles, but this is definitely the most tempting. Adored my Megadrive.
What the everlasting fork, man? How can you put that smokin' hot song at the start and not give us a name? Is it Thunderforce related?
It's called "Stand Up Against Myself", the ending credits of Thunder Force IV, the very best 16-bit shooter in mine or other op.
The music of this game is sooooo good, easily on the level of legends like SoR.
Feyt, absolutely. Genesis/MD has at least a few dozen great obscure soundtracks. (Mostly from Japan)
The songs are all listed at the end of the video, as usual :)
@@thanksbetotap Well, damn I guess I just should've been patient.
Great to see all that beautiful Japanese box art. The Japanese MD has some of the most stunning box art of all time, I've been a passionate collector since 1989. I had zero interest in any of these retro mini consoles until now, but I think this one may have swayed me. The M2 factor seals the deal.
Why Sonic 3 is not in there is beyond me.
[glares at Michael Jackson estate]
Meh. Sonic 3 Complete and Sonic 3 Angel Island Revisited have superseded the original Sonic 3 & Knuckles entirely. I wouldn't play Sonic 3 on the Genesis Mini if it was on there.
I think Sega will release something like MD2 mini 1-2 years after MD1 mini with Sonic 3 and other great games
You can download that to play on most systems, and there are about a billion collection that it is featured in. making room for games that have had few or none re-releases is more important.
@@Dhlamedia He took himself off the credits, his estate has zero claim to the rights. They couldn't put Sonic 3 on the mini because they needed room for the super popular and much requested Sonic Spin Ball.
Excellent review john!
If sega delays it by one month they could perfect it and swap virtua fighter for mortal combat!!!
Great job on the review! Great comparisons! Well done!
7:35 for Sega Lord X!
:D
yess :)))
Thats a track from the batman game!
While I love DF they are talking about the 2017 ATGames Sega Genesis Flashback HD as not good which was true but the 2018 version is actually not too bad. With that being said I still am looking forward to picking up my preorder for the Official Sega Genesis Mini!
I'd buy this system if it wasn't for the extra input lag. For me, emulating the Genesis in RetroArch on a gaming PC with a G-Sync monitor is the way to go. The input lag is barely existent (if any at all), some of the shaders look fantastic, and overclocking the emulated CPU does wonders at speeding up games like Road Rash 2. Idk about the music quality and audio delay though. I didn't grow up with the Genesis (Only played at a friend's house), so I wouldn't know how the music in these games are supposed to sound exactly. And the audio delay too. That's the thing the emulation... You win some, you lose some.
Amazing job yet again, John. You rock.
The Input Lag is due to using the wrong Adapter.
Its instantaneously fixable.
I loved and praised sega for having a headphone jack. When i was a kid in the early 90s it was the one thing that got me my sega, cause i told my parent's it wouldn't bug them with the sound cause it had a headphone jack great times. lmao
Since the mini runs on a mobile phone SOC they could have easily added a working jack though.
@@kaisersoymilk6912 ikr its lame they didn't.
I'm surprised that Sega doesn't make more remaster collections on the PS4, X1, and Switch of games from the Genesis, Saturn, and DreamCast.
I'm not of these mini consoles or clone consoles.
However, I'm sure fans will appreciate the attention to detail with this.
Anyway, I think a lot of fans would probably want a remaster collection released physically for PS4, X1, and Switch; especially if the remastered graphical options will look good and the audio is properly remastered.
7:05 Sega Lord X activate!