Sega Genesis Mini 2 Review - This thing is awesome! | MVG

[@Peannlui]

One thing worthy of note is in the credits for the SMD Mini 2 is a dedication 'in memory of Rieko Kodama'. This is how fans found out she had died back in May. (No news spread about it at the time as it was made private for the respect of her family.) Kodama was a graphics cornerstone for games like Phantasy Star and Sonic the Hedgehog, and later directed Skies of Arcadia. She was working hard on this game collection to get them to work properly, as she helped make them in the past. Massive respect is due to her and her memory.

[@matiasjauhojarvi9551]

First Phantasy Star game I played was on the mega drive mini. Sad that one of the creators of Phantasy Star Is dead.

[@meowkitty4849]

Shining Force was a great rpg series for it too. Also I think Contra Hard Corps is the best Contra game of all time. =3 Didn't see it on here though, but it's definitely worth trying if you can get it somehow.

[@pidgeo5]

@@meowkitty4849 Glad to find another Contra Hard Corps believer! :) The music and action in that game are the best.

[@EnjoySynthSounds]

Will the firmware be cracked like the original mini console?

[@EnjoySynthSounds]

Hopefully RETROFLAG will manufacture another megapi case, this time designed like the model gen 2.

[@Melonposting]

720p might actually be a better choice than 1080p in this case. Given that the Genesis resolution is 320x224, pixel-perfect scaling fills 93% of the screen in 720p, but only 83% in 1080p. And both 720p and 1080p scale perfectly into 4K, so 720p would give the clearer image.

[@Raven34643]

Thank you for pointing that out. I was never able to quite put my thumb on it but I have always thought mini-consoles and console clones look better in 720p.

[@eugene_stets]

There is nothing wrong with your calculations but alas, the theory to the scaling is more complex. You should take into account the whole processing chain up to the display matrix. The crucial thing to the scaling is not quality issues but its fatal drawback. Since most hardware needs to capture the whole frame to process the scaling and pass it further the processing chain, this adds a whole frame delay to the presentation. The processing delays are stacking up and they are impossible to compensate and no amount of crispness and prettiness are able to compensate the lag feeling. You see, the double scaling of the device and the monitor simply makes the gaming perception unpleasant. I just cannot bear it, it ruins my immersion into the game. And then take a note about perfect 720 to 4K scaling. It may be true for a most devices but there is some with a garbage scaler built in. They have perfect visuals at native resolution but anything less is ruined. IMHO the modern emulation device should always scale to the native display resolution to avoid the swarm of quality issues. The emulation hardware has already done the scaling therefore the scaling to the native seems like a natural way to go. As you may guess already the emulation console is fully aware of the presentation material and so is able to pick up not a generic but a perfect scaler for a job.

[@eugene_stets]

@@Raven34643 This is because of the perceptually right combination of the filters applied. First stage, the pixels are copy-doubled by emulator. This is not quite correct, too sharp picture looks unnatural. Then comes the second stage, general purpose scale filter of the monitor. It smooth out the excess of sharpness just the right amount.

[@GGigabiteM]

The Genesis does not have a fixed resolution. Depending on the VDP mode, and which region the console is (NTSC or PAL), there are at least a half dozen resolutions the console runs at. Games can also use multiple resolutions, depending on what it's doing. Sonic 2 is one example, it will run at 320x224 (NTSC), 320x240 (PAL) in normal play, a lower resolution for the special stages (possibly 256x224/256x240) and 320x448 (NTSC) or 320x480 (PAL) for two player. It's not possible to have perfect pixel scaling unless the image is drawn smaller than the screen with borders.

[@NiGHTS1980]

60 games to celebrate SEGA's 60th anniversary. It definitely was a labour of love.

[@jasonlee7816]

Sega was founded in 1960 = in 2020 they were 60 years old, in 2021 = they were 61 years old, in 2022 = they are 62 years old

[@acronym.4328]

They've been around for that long?

[@B727X]

I think they made a second one because this is sagas only consul that even got a fraction close to winning the console war

[@superbroly64DS]

you call re-releasing the same Genesis games over and over again a labor of love? you're out of your freaking mind

[@shaggymcdaniel3216]

@@superbroly64DS Did you watch the video?

[@dsmania]

A curious fact: the european Mega Drive 2 includes the ROM of Fatal Fury 2, a game thought to be not released in Europe but actually a rare Blockbuster rent exclusive.

[@blackomega2526]

I applaud you for not saying "fun fact"

[@KevKlopper]

Wait we had blockbusters in europe, crazy

[@dsmania]

@@KevKlopper That's part of the reason why this particular version is so obscure.

[@heilong79]

@@KevKlopper We had them in Ireland but they were a late addition so only appeared here in the mid 90s.

[@WIP03]

@@heilong79 Yeah, they were in the Uk, too but not sure about the rest of Europe. I grew up near the end of blockbuster, but I loved renting a new game ever so often, like the rallisport challenge for the OG Xbox which was one of my favourite.

[@KarlRock]

I always wanted this console as a kid. Had to go to the neighbours house to play his. Brings back lots of good memories. Thanks for the video.

[@seanconnolly4069]

I don't know why, but when I see two of my favorite youtubers cross paths my heart fills with so much joy. I hope you find a genesis 2 mini in some weird market in India. Haha. Love you both.

[@michaelmoores2654]

Poo in the loo.

[@makosn]

I really like the concept of these mini consoles. I purchased a SNES classic simply for a cheap emulation solution with HDMI out. Though the same could arguably be achieved for less with a Pi (or the like), having original style controllers and a tiny version of the console I remember fondly from childhood is really cool. Great video as always, thanks for the content.

[@fearanarchy]

My friend took my challenge of making a Pi for SNES Classic prices. He was not happy at the effort versus how well a kicked SNESC does overall. Both the SNESC and Gen 1 mini are great values. This seems to be the same

[@prw56]

I don't think its too far off though if you got it for msrp, but if you were doing it today I'd say just go the extra mile and get a steam deck instead.

[@endresee]

I too love these mini systems. It’s a low-effort way to relive these games and explore some other ones I never got to play. I really hope they make Dreamcast and N64 mini consoles. I know it will never happen, but a man can dream.

[@happyloaf]

I would also be happy if they sold a pc version with roms and a pre-configured emulator. Mostly I just want a legal way to buy roms.

[@Metal-Gear-Moogle]

Plus it's super easy to mod and add games you want on there

[@samuraispiritsx]

I think it was really smart of them to include some versions of these games with exclusive features only found on this system, I have one coming I can't wait.

[@badcp455]

Agreed, and when I encountered these extra features, I was very pleased!

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

The Turbo Grafx is a cooler MINI system but at $100 the Genesis 2 is tough to fault

[@hidsnake]

Worth mentioning that the most likely reason for the lack of Lunar or Popful Mail is with Working Designs refusing let others use their localizations (It's about $). It's been an issue with their works for years and a serious problem in getting people to play these games when they can't be easily ported+released to modern consoles. Great review by the way! I'm amazed after how good the first Genesis Mini was that SEGA was able to drop one that might be even better.

[@Silvergun_Raven]

It’s a shame, but over the years, I’m starting to prefer the Unworked Designs translations. I have nostalgia for the Working Designs translations, but most of the games have questionable difficulty and translation changes and I now prefer the Japanese originals.

[@archklown2]

It's not even Working Designs it's all on one single asshole Victor Ireland. It's all on him for being a money grubbing @#$#@$#.

[@xraymind]

It's more likely that Working Designs is no longer in business. So I don't know who legally owns the copyright to the WD's English translation. So I assume neither Sega nor Game Arts is willing to pay for the cost of translations for 3 full length games to be included in a $99 retro console.

[@BurritoKingdom]

And the voice acting. I do wonder if the voice actors got residuals. Probably not because they were all non union back than.

[@BurritoKingdom]

@@xraymind gaijinworks owns those translations. It's Victor Ireland's (previous owner of Working Designs) company after Working Designs went out of business. He allowed Sony to use his translations for PSN games, Arc the Lad and Alundra. It probably has to do with money or Victor still hating Sega after all these years. He did promise he would never work with Sega again after how Bernie Stoler dumped the Saturn even though it was super successful in Japan and had a ton of Japanese games waiting to be translated. There was basically a year of no Sega games in the US when the Saturn was discontinued until the release of the Dreamcast.

[@fatburdo]

If TecToy made a localized version for Brazil of this it would be an absolute smash hit

[@badcp455]

Facts.

[@larkan511]

Bought a PS mini for about $25 awhile ago and ended up turning it into a full on emulation machine over the summer. Overall total cost for the mini, a USB flash drive and a couple of adapter was about $80, plays thousands of games, and took about an hour to set up from start to finish. Always hooked up to my TV.

[@MrSpaceVector]

Yes but the emulation quality is just garbage on the PS mini. This comes from someone experienced with PS1 emulation and hacking, and who has ODEs and even a mister.

[@piorism]

@@MrSpaceVector Well to be fair, the post above never mentions it being used for PS1 emulation :)

[@Mave-rick]

@@MrSpaceVector I'm pretty sure @Standard Username was just pointing out their PS Classic is modded and NOT using the stock emulator. I think "most" know the stock emulator in the PlayStation Classic is garbage. However, the MediaTek SOC it uses is just under a Raspberry Pi 3 and worth taking advantage of. :)

[@realamericannegro977]

Does it emulate N64 games well?

[@MoviesNGames007uk]

@@realamericannegro977 it can play super Mario 64 full 60fps

[@sethallison5682]

I still love mini systems. I bring them on work trips, hook them up to the hotel tv and have coworkers come hang out. It’s always a popular ice breaker. Got one guy utterly hooked on Link to the Past most recently with my snes mini. Any time one of these things comes out I’ll pick it up. Good for house parties too. Kinda would have been cool if they had added a little fake Sega Cd add on for the console.

[@autumnshade84]

Good news, there is a Mega CD/Sega CD 2. It might only be for the Japanese version, but it does exist complete with replica games!

[@sethallison5682]

@@autumnshade84 oh yeah you’re right! You can get them on eBay. There’s a little 32x as well.

[@AwesomesMan]

Would the sega cd 1 released with the first mini not also fit?

[@lfla0179]

Landstalker had a bug that prevented it from being played correctly on the original Mega Drive sold in Brazil. It used a raster effect that was not present on the first console, and emulators proved that by freezing on the same point with the raster emulation disabled. Since this is based on version 2 onwards, I think this will be ok.

[@cyberpunkonstadia1854]

Really? I had Landstalker and a original TecToy Mega Drive and never had a problem. I finished the game.

[@NeilDinsmore]

That's really cool about the inclusion of changing sound systems between Mega Drive 1 & 2.

[@Demonanimator]

The Genesis to this day never ceases to amaze me with how much it can do with so little.

[@pauldavis5665]

ya, i wonder if it can run crysis. someone should try.

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

Genesis has a small wiener?

[@daehxxiD]

I think the shroud under the heat-sink is really just an EMI shield. My laptop has the exact same thing over its RAM and this is essentially just held in place by friction with those little clips all around it. in theory you'd just need to use a guitar pick or something else that is flat to remove that shield. If your careful, you can really also just use a flat-head screwdriver.

[@joawesome2319]

I was about to comment this. The shroud doesn’t seem to be soldered on. So just carefully lifting it should reveal it

[@brazilmugenteam]

10:39 they did an amazing work with this TV-like wallpaper. It adds a great sense of imersion to me. Well done. And thanks for the video.

[@TheSektorz]

Wow, it looks awesome for $99.99. So meticulously designed with love and care, not just the hardware but the software too! Look at all the cool options, and even... a remastered Space Harrier? It's already above and beyond what I'd expect, from what are usually low-effort cashgrab nostalgia-bait consoles. Well done, SEGA of Japan. I'm so glad it's based on the Model 2 Genesis too. And has Bare Knuckle instead of the "censored" Streets of Rage. Definitely ordering one when it gets hacked, and I can add more games that are must-have (for me), like Contra Hardcorps and The Adventures of Batman and Robin.

[@Haywood-Jablomie]

Send me $99 , I'll send you a $14 android TV box, $6 USB genesis controller and an 8gb microsd card with every genesis game... that's literally what this Genesis Mini 2 is. 🙂👌🏾

[@JohnnyWednesday]

@@Haywood-Jablomie - A card filled with illegal ROMS - the developers are still alive, you claim to love their games but you don't want to pay for them?

[@andrewroberts4852]

@@Haywood-Jablomie send me 50$. Ur mom owes me for child support

[@Peannlui]

@@JohnnyWednesday It's also an insult to Rieko Kodama, who worked hard on this and died earlier this year.

[@Haywood-Jablomie]

@@JohnnyWednesday I love emulators. I worked on Nesticle and contributed to VisualBoyAdvance as well as Mame . By all means, you can feel free to buy whatever you want. 🤷🏽

[@adamludwig7431]

It would be fun to see MVG do an update on why systems like this and the Turbo Graphics 16 mini have been, “unhackable.”

[@RonnieBarzel]

I forgot I had pre-ordered this until DHL sent me tracking info for it. Glad it turned out to be a nice bit of retro gaming!

[@mikeg2491]

Same I got a Amazon box from Japan and was thinking, “wtf is this” & was like Christmas morning opening it up

[@sneakingelephant]

I never grew up owning a genesis so for me playing at friends places, emulation and those collection titles was how I experienced most of the genesis library. My friend gifted me the genesis mini and its what led me down the rabbit hole to exploring the library even more. There's something more special about playing using an original pad(or something close to it) when playing these classics. And in hindsight I feel like I missed a bit of the magic before when I played using the Xbox and PlayStation pads to play some of the titles. It's what makes these mini packages even more compelling. You get get a dedicated controller meant for the console and a huge selection of games. The fact M2 took it a step further with all the enhancements is icing on the cake. Definitely will be upgrading to this model

[@JakeRandall]

Every single video you make has the best music always sets the mood perfectly

[@BennyPowers]

the audio processing variants are some extremely impressive attention to detail. kudos to the devs.

[@shalpp]

M2 went balls to the wall with this and proves once again why they're the ultimate porting house in the industry Man they almost ported the entirety of a saturn game to the genesis with some of the original dev staff from the 90s Who tf does that other than absolute legends

[@jinxterx]

What does balls to the wall mean?

[@AxelDragani]

They are absolute madlads

[@davidmuldowney]

@@jinxterx Maximum Effort!

[@silenzio31]

"porting" games that have been re-released to death? Seriously this is one of the most laziest jobs I have ever seen Sega CD can be easily added with a simple Genesis mini 1 hack this should have been Sega model arcade games not the same easy to emulate on a potato 2D games

[@TimurSokol]

@@jinxterx I think it's when you put your balls against the wall really hard 🤔

[@AviationStation85]

One step closer to the Dreamcast Mini... I hope.

[@MaidenHell1977]

Currently waiting on two orders to be delivered to a friend in the U.S. it's bogus how it was not available for shipping to Canadian residents despite it having a moniker being sold in North America haha, anyhow looking forward to picking it up!

[@FR4M3Sharma]

Man I wished these consoles were sold in my country so many cool games. I just Love Contra Hard Corps.

[@mikek191]

Good to see Shining Force 2 on there. I feel SF1 gets re-released all the time, but SF2 is superior in every way.

[@Tudsworth]

Pretty sure Shining Force 1 was on the first mini, so it makes sense to complete the duology (and also include Shining in the Darkness for a clean sweep of Sonic Software Planning Mega Drive releases!) on the second console, especially one clearly so focused on more obscure fan-favourite titles.

[@bobdedbuilder463]

Nice to see shining force cd get a release as well. I don’t know about you, but there still aren’t that great emulators for the sega cd. Nice to see that get some love.

[@retrosoul8770]

Eh agree to disagree, I love both games and they're both fantastic but slightly favor SF1, the sound efx when you atk for one thing are better (gotta love the shotgun blast effect). The games are pretty much equally fun, ya may be overstating a bit making it seem like SF1 isn't even worth playing which is absolutely not the case. I'm very happy SF2 is here though.

[@codycos]

I feel like it is hard to beat the heart, story, and charm of Shining Force 1

[@bearxor]

My Genesis Mini 2 came in a few hours ago and I spent some time playing it and I think it’s a way better offering than the original Genesis Mini. It’s going to be pretty subjective but I think the game offering overall is better, they have played fantastic in my use so far, and the inclusion of a 6 button controller instead of 3 is very welcome. I can definitely tell there’s been some work put in on the emulation side. Games I played as a kid feel exactly as I remember them.

[@lfla0179]

This looks fantastic, and the titles are famous. Truxton truly tests the Yamaha sound chip emulation.

[@jamal874]

Mine just arrived yesterday and I'm SO excited to play it a bunch and relive some childhood games

[@sevenworld7502]

Though we're light years away, we'll get a Saturn Mini at some point with all of the Panzer Dragoon games. Someday.

[@kjrehberg]

Just got mine today, too. With several exclusive titles and extras. Virtua Racing and the Sega CD titles are well worth the price. Also, don't forget, Sega CD provided enhanced audio and hardware sprite scaling. Some Sega CD games were enhanced even further with the 32X.

[@DeenHoward]

Seeing the amount of love and care put into this really makes me want a Sega Saturn one someday.

[@FR4M3Sharma]

Not everyday you get to see a MVG upload at a minute ago.

[@felman87]

I was so hyped for Lunar 1 and 2. Then when the US lineup got finalized and my heart sank. Lunar 2 is one of my most favorite RPGs ever. Lunar 1 on the Sega CD is really unique in and of itself. The remake on the PS1/Saturn changed quite a few things about it (like the magic system. Alex didn't learn magic until Meribia, then he became a pyromancer that also had healing spells). Then the GBA and PSP remakes were variations of that 32bit version.

[@GiordanDiodato]

blame Victor Ireland. he's a dick about copyright when it comes to WD-published games. it's also why we didn't get Popful Mail on it either.

[@tallpoppy537]

Just remember that the Japan/US version has different lineup for games included. This time the US version seems a bit hardcore on the choice and more wanted for some. Japan has two lunar RPGs

[@jsb1944]

All 3 are different? I thought UK and JP has the same lineup and US was different

[@AngelicRequiemX]

Actually, it's the Japan version that is more desired overall. The US version is missing the Lunar RPG Sega CD games that the Japanese version has for starters.

[@VGManiac456]

That's not entirely true. The Genesis/Mega Drive Mini 2 has the same game lineup for the North American and European units; only the Japanese unit has a different selection of games.

[@videogameobsession]

Some other changes that I've noticed... Thunder Force IV (Lightening Force) has an overclocked option. Bare Knuckle III is censored (with the dock level and boss "Ash" removed). Shadow Dancer has the World Trade Center removed on the title screen. The twin towers are just combined into a single wide building. Though it can still be seen at the end sequence of the game. (I also noticed this on their precious Genesis collection. Rainbow Islands EX has "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" music removed, unfortunately.

[@GiordanDiodato]

Somewhere Over The Rainbow is copyrighted Twin Towers... do I even need to say it?

[@juandager5220]

Obsession is in your username... I wouldn't erase history like the Twin Towers since they existed when the games takes place. But all seem like minor changes. Good attention to detail!

[@videogameobsession]

Of course possible copyright infringing stuff is removed from games all the time. Somewhere over the Rainbow was actually removed from the PS1 and Saturn ports so it's no surprise here. The WTC is actually still visible during the end of the game. I guess they weren't as concerned about that.

[@y2keef]

This is awesome and thank you for a flawless review But (sorry for the but), as a long time viewer I'm still loving life with my cracked 3DS and nothing you've presented me with since retro-wise can even touch it!

[@TravisStamper]

Always look for your insight on stuff like this. Thanks MVG

[@shodan2958]

I love this machine, been sitting on my desk past few days and the detail in the casing alone is incredible. I've always loved the look of the Mega Drive 2 and its just been recreated so well in miniature form.

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

This thing fits in your pocket! Unlike the Turbo Grafx MINI which is almost as big as the console and barely works

[@GeorgesChannel]

Great review! You have a great channel! The game i personally miss is: Snatcher. But Virtua Racing is really great to be part of, because i love old-school vector graphics!

[@ArturKwaszyn]

For some reason, I absolutely love the new retro consoles. They're smaller, more energy efficient, and incredibly cute. Must have for someone who loves gaming.

[@gbraadnl]

The main processor is a ZUIKI Z7213. Ars Technica has a teardown.

[@vherostar]

Lunar missing because of licensing outside Japan is a mess for that game. Shame as that's the reason as a JRPG collector to get the device. Instead I will simply add it to my mega drive mini 1.

[@apollolux]

I have the Genesis Mini 1 already and the two main things stopping me from considering the Mini 2 are the price tag (I don't have steady income right now, so US$100 is a pretty hefty chunk of change for me even for 60 games) and the game selection. If Lunar and a couple of the other JP CD games were on the US Mini 2, then I would've considered it further, but right now I have the games I want either on the Mini 1, on some iteration of the Sega Genesis Classics Collection (I have on Steam and a couple other consoles), and/or actual cartridge or disc (Phantasy Star 4, Gunstar Heroes, Final Fight CD, Sewer Shark, etc).

[@GiordanDiodato]

Lunar is because Victor Ireland is a dick. I'd say Crusader of Centy and Shining Force CD make this collection worth it

[@Thesavagesouls]

That nostalgia slap I got when you placed the dreamcast's Quake 3 arena case on the table.

[@EdvinDzafcic]

Walking my doggie before taking daughter to school, and mean time casually jamming out to into music and enjoying the content.

[@stoozdee]

Ayyyyyy a good dad on his morning good-dad grind 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@kebabimpaler]

There aren't many youtubers who I use the notification bell for but between the quality and pacing of your content, your stuff is unmissable. And I've been out of the emulation / homebrew scene for many years but this is all still hugely entertaining.

[@Decidetto]

Really hoping Digital Foundry or My Life in Gaming will put out a latency test for this device. The original MD Mini was notorious for its large input and sound latency, so it would be remiss not to confirm whether or not that has been addressed for this version.

[@superbroly64DS]

people need to stop supporting lazy companies

[@tallpoppy537]

3:09 the actual physical package size was presented digitally which is pure love

[@joshstarr6400]

I still really want a Saturn or Dreamcast Mini. Hell even a Master System would be awesome as well. But I gotta say this looking a LOT more appealing than I initially thought.

[@falcon048]

A Dreamcast version would be very difficult, thanks to the security methods employed with the GDROM compression and encryption. Not to mention the licenses to get the games we loved on the system. There weren't too many in-house, first party games for the Dreamcast. Most of the games I loved were CAPCOM releases.

[@GiordanDiodato]

@@falcon048 you kidding? Crazy Taxi, Shenmue, Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Skies of Arcadia, Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5, Chu Chu Rocket.

[@GiordanDiodato]

Saturn would be difficult, plus we have this chip shortage. it's the same for Dreamcast. Master System, while it would be easy, probably wouldn't appeal to North Americans given that the system flopped in the region.

[@shanthegamer21]

If only they gave us a Genesis Tower Mini 2 to go along with this. I would love to see it happen.

[@Omegaxero]

They did in japan

[@shanthegamer21]

@@Omegaxero I meant in America and Europe as well.

[@TheDarkestPhoenix]

That's weird, I wonder why Lunar was omitted. I wonder if it has to do with Working Designs being defunt and the ownership of the localization in limbo...

[@baroncalamityplus]

Lunar will never be available in the US on a Sega anything in the US. The rights, and the egos of the people involved will never allow this to happen.

[@marrymekatsuya]

I heard that the person who has the rights to the working designs games won't let them be ported unless it's for some insane amount of money but that's just what i heard on twitter idk how true that is

[@GiordanDiodato]

@@marrymekatsuya Partially true. He wants royalties to every copy sold, but because this is a limited print mini console... well you know

[@EveryDayRetroGaming]

Good to hear it's awesome! Ours is coming in this Thursday!

[@RemnantCult]

Sega does a pretty good job at keeping it's core genesis library easily available to play.

[@Toonrick12]

Unless it's Sonic 3.

[@mariotorres6848]

Thanks for the review, just purchased a mini 2 because of it. A couple bucks a game can't be beat.

[@Bored_Barbarian]

I’m waiting for Mine. I missed the original and can’t wait for guides to “open it up” 😉

[@arbi9506]

Holy shit. That's the Model 2 mini. That's 100% my entire childhood alongside the PS2. I am ABSOLUTELY getting this

[@MrXabungle]

The passing of Rieko Kodama is heartbreaking. I think it was her wish to be engraved in something video game related and the right way to remember her for.

[@bflippsytrance]

I have the mini 1 , did modify it to run basically all retro consoles and arcade systems and then replaced it with a more powerful NUC acting as an all out retro system running everything I want with Batocera. I still applaud these mini console initiatives as it opens up ready to play retro gaming to a younger audience at an affordable price.

[@JohnSmith-xq1pz]

I'd love to get one for my little retro gaming space

[@nullbyt]

5:40 magical sound shower.... thank you project diva ♥

[@DarkZenith]

They added superscaler due to the mega drive cd enhancements from the device.

[@justinkeys2708]

Genesis 2 was my first game console so it's great to hear how much good work was put into this thing. Might actually pick one up!

[@TroutButter]

I got mine today and it's awesome so far and I've only tried a couple games yet. I also was surprised how small it was. One thing I would have liked to have seen is a filter option for a slight blur like the CRT mode does, but without the exaggerated scan lines. I like the scan lines but a lot of times they do it in a way where they are more obvious than on a real CRT. But I still like the CRT mode anyway. One thing I will recommend is to use the CRT filter mode with Virtua Racing. It makes the game look a ton better and you're able to see what's going on. Turned off, its a massive pixel fest and all those low res pixels are overwhelming making it hard to tell what's what and it just doesn't look like the game normally would on a real CRT TV. With CRT mode turned on, my performance in VR was a lot better since I could actually see things. :)

[@RetroUnlim]

Labour of love is exactly it’s summary, you can tell it’s been done for the fans at heart 😊

[@VaiCloud]

Sadly, Bare Knuckle III on this device is NOT the definitive version because they flat out cut out the second segment of the first stage (the docks) because of one controversial character that was already changed in the western version. The game just dumps you right into the third segment of the first stage when leaving the first segment. Removing a few minutes worth of content from the game. :(

[@mjmonjure]

Excellent review as usual. I almost didn’t get it after watching another KZbin review (done over a few sessions without actually having the M2) by let’s just say, an angry pixel. But I ordered it any way and it just arrived yesterday. Now I can’t wait to get it running. Thanks for pointing out all of the upsides.

[@GregsGameRoom]

The big omission is really Snatcher (and Rocket Knight Adventures.) No Konami on this one.

[@bitdigital8052]

This is Quality. Loving the sound choices option and the updated Space Harrier!

[@mattb9664]

I should probably just buy the 6 button controllers. I already have all those games seamlessly running on the 2019 Sega Genesis mini. Mini 2 seems like a great option for those that weren't able to pick one up during first go-around. And I have Lunar 1 and 2 already running 😊. Now if they would just rerelease the Turbo Graffx...

[@louism771]

As the MegaDrive Mini 2 not coming to EU (at least last time ichecked, please correct me if I'm wrong): Did you get Mega CD games running on your Genesis Mini? Or just imported the other Genesis ROMs?

[@Peannlui]

I have the PC Engine Mini, and there's hidden arcade ports of Gradius etc on the thing. :)

[@mattb9664]

I have Sega CD games running on Genesis 1 mini. They appear to be native and "stock" presentation, but it's actually running under retroarch from what I remember. 32X games are the same. It will be interesting to hear how the hardware in Genesis 2 compares agains the Genesis 1 mini.

[@T0TALLYAWESOMEGUY]

Seeing this makes me glad I picked up the model 1 Genesis Mini. Omissions like a missing power LED and slide switch instead of push button make this one feel sloppy like they cut corners.

[@volt8ge]

Great review! I just got mine in the mail today! I’m so happy it’s getting a good review here. I love mini consoles and I wish we would get more of them like a GameCube mini!!!!! Or an Xbox OG mini

[@GiordanDiodato]

not for a while. especially with this chip shortage

[@taylorusedtoxic]

When they release the mini Saturn, they'll get my money guaranteed.

[@rishavganguly92]

When they release the mini Dreamcast, they'll get my money guaranteed.

[@evv4198]

the tunes at the start and at the end of yout videos remind me, sometimes, the chiptunes from the NoCD cracks/ keygens of some time ago... so much memories

[@Mr.Pacario]

I got my Mini 2, and it's cool, but my favorite of these all-in-ones is still the TurboGrafx-16 edition that released a while back. It has almost as many games (many super obscure) plus sports some amazing menu music that trumps that even seen here.

[@RedCGaming]

But no Keith Courage

[@Mr.Pacario]

@@RedCGaming That, I can live with. The lack of Magical Chase or Coryoon was a bigger bummer.

[@Raven34643]

That was the one mini-console that truly felt "essential" to me due to the fact that there is almost no way to legally experience many of those TurboGrafx titles without paying a fortune.

[@Mr.Pacario]

@@Raven34643 Yeah, it also reproduced the "feel" of those older consoles well, showing the card or disc being placed inserted, and even allowing players to view the warnings and mini games that would play if the system lacked the correct hardware attachment.

[@knightsabre2k]

One thing about the design of the Mini 2. I don't know if it was different in the US, but the UK (and I think japan) had red buttons for the power and reset buttons and both were push down buttons as opposed to the slide switch seen in the video.

[@RaidenRkD]

From what I can tell, Japan had a silver slide switch on the console, while the UK and US had push-down buttons and added an LED light. It looks like they went with the Japanese model for all regions and simply gave the US and UK versions a different paint job. EDIT: I did a couple of comparisons and the only difference I've noticed in the make is the reset button: The Japanese version has dots embedded in it with the word "Reset" printed on the main unit, while the US and EU versions have the word embedded on the button.

[@statesminds]

I have one on the way. Still sad that both Lunar releases aren’t on our versions but are on Japanese one. They also got Shin Megami Tensei and Popful Mail too i believe which is another thing to be bummed about Still excited for it and glad you praise it. Just wish japan and the west got same stuff

[@arcadeguy781]

I don’t believe Shin Megami Tensei was released in English, but I agree.

[@GiordanDiodato]

SMT was never released outside Japan Popful Mail and Lunar are because Victor Ireland is a dick about Working Designs-published games.

[@arcadeguy781]

@@GiordanDiodato He was interested in working with Sega, but he charged a high licensing fee. I hope that Sega releases an official way to expand the library through USB & they pay Victor his fee and they charge an additional $30-50 for that as well as some other games like Road Avengers. That would be cool.

[@CyberIce2000]

I just ordered mine and can't wait to get it! It will join along with my NES mini, SNES mini and Genesis mini.

[@AG-kb7yb]

Beat RGT85, well done

[@prince_thomas]

I bought this and agree it's the best mini console. Good UI and game selection and the controller feels great. Hits the nostalgia right.

[@DaveDoc1984]

The power switch also differs from the original Genesis Model 2 / MegaDrive II. The originals had a push button switch which clicked down not a slider switch like these have (which incidentally the Japanese MegaDrive 2 has a slider switch).

[@wmoule]

And the PAL version had the red buttons of the Japanese version but the up and down power button of the N.A version.

[@akpokemon]

He literally addresses that in the video. Anyway yes it sucks. Might be a deal-breaker for me honestly

[@MichaelAarons1701]

For something like this, I’d prefer the slider because it’s less likely to fail over time. If this wasn’t a Mini, I’d be more inclined to go for the accurate push button like my original Genesis II.

[@DaveDoc1984]

@@akpokemon "right down to the power and reset switches" is what I heard which made me write that post.

[@DaveDoc1984]

@@akpokemon Where does he address the power switch being different? literally where?!

[@christopherdarling95]

Awesome video MVG! Best one yet I've seen on the Mini 2. So good to hear your input regarding technical details and your take on the emulation.

[@larrylaffer3246]

Game selection is nice, and the inclusion of SEGA CD titles are a nice touch. Shame like it's predecessor it still doesn't include Sonic 3 and Knuckles.

[@arcadeguy781]

There’s a rights issue with the music ever since MJ passed away.

[@larrylaffer3246]

@@arcadeguy781 Yes unfortunately there is that little snag. Shame nobody involved can manage to figure things out. It's kinda like the Ms. Pac-Man debacle with @Games.

[@DemsCreates]

Really happy to see my favorite game, Alien Soldier, being re-released on official hardware again!

[@aevangel1]

There is no excuse for these new factory consoles to not come with every single game ever made for the original systems...

[@LaskyLabs]

I hope to see a full port of Puyo Sun done by M2 one day. I'm glad they did the Vs mode but it'll be really awesome if they ever plan on doing a full port. Maybe they will on Switch... I hope so!

[@crusherbad64]

I'm getting mine today!

[@backslash_iii]

I'm so excited for mine. Pre ordered it ages ago, it'll be here Thursday.

[@yazidbecdaigle4709]

imagine this in 1990 wow

[@98SE]

yay this camera looks much better than the last video! :)

[@Mr.Pacario]

It's Vic Ireland who is, unfortunately, to blame for the Lunar and Popful Mail omissions. I even e-mailed him about the matter, hoping he'd provide a proper justification beyond not being offered enough money. (He's not making money anyway just sitting on the games, so...) Sadly, he never bothered to respond.

[@badcp455]

Thank you so much for trying to explore the inside! I had been wondering what was powering this machine.

[@bryancook6345]

The one thing nobody understands is you don’t need this Sega mini 2 to play these games that’s on it all you just need to do is hack any of your Nintendo classic mini consoles just need a extra storage and add every game all you just need is a PC the king of gaming if you’re someone who really wants to play all games to their best every game that’s on here I already added to my Super Nintendo classic it’s free I can’t wait until I can get a PS2 PS3 PS4 mini consoles that I know will never happen and hack the real rare games in the world if you think shining force is rare well the graphics sucks

[@The_Primary_Axiom]

Wish I could go back to where I played these game for the first time. Good ol days.

[@dpcaire]

I'm a bit confused by your comments about the output resolution. I thought 720p was preferable for these types of devices because it is a 3X integer scale from 240p to 720p. And then as most consumer TVs today are 2160p native, 720p to 2160p is another 3X integer scale, for a total 9X integer scale. 1080p does not integer scale from 240p, so even though the 1080p to 2160p would be a clean 2X, the step from 240p to 1080p (4.5X non-integer) would add softness and non-even pixel scrolling. This is the reason I keep my Analogue consoles in 720p most of the time. Cleaner pixels, no shimmer scrolling, and the scan lines look way better in 720p compared to 1080p.

[@Viking_Cookie]

It's important to remember that when running at 60hz(ish) the MD does not run in 240p, it's 224p if you're going on graphics displayed. This means a 5x scale gives you 1120 pixels, so in a 1080p window you can crop 40 scaled pixels, which is 8 native pixels, it's my favourite way to play retro systems through an OSSC. Darius Extra is the only game which really seems that cut off in this mode, but it also looks a bit cut off on a real CRT set up with typical overscan settings (and there's a warning about it in the manual). This gives you a really nice crisp image with less scaling on the TV side (2x instead of 3x) and fills the screen, whereas 720p will use 3x224 = 672, so black borders of 24 pixels on both top and bottom. 1080p also gives you access to a 4x vertical 5x horizontal (896p with 92 blank pixels on top and bottom), black bars are bigger as a percentage of screen size than 720p, but it's my preferred way to play games which run at 224x256 which is NES & SNES games, and some Mega Drive games as well as others. It gives the best aspect ratio (in my opinion of course) for these games while using integer scaling being near 4:3. With 720p you're stuck with non-integer scaling or you're stuck with a square pixel aspect ratio (8:7)- which only really works for some games. These are mostly ports of 320 pixel wide games where the extra columns of pixels are just cut off and the image is stretched, a lot had adjustments made for the conversion to 256 pixel wide. Higher resolutions also give access to better quality scanlines and shadow mask effects, which not everyone likes but it's nice to have options, and I think that's the takeaway here, having both a 720p mode and a 1080p mode means more people can display the games the way they want.

[@maicrowsoft8867]

5:10 I wasn't aware there was a sound difference between the different revisions of the Genesis. Neat.

[@jorgerfm364]

Genesis does

[@pidgeo5]

I've been following this since its initial announcement over the summer. Mine is supposed to come in today. I'm so excited!

[@shaggysweetness]

I heard Bare Knuckle III was censored on this version and they removed the entire dock stage, is this true?

[@leeboy2k1]

They did which is literally 'gslighting' i.e acting as if it didn't exist.. Moreover what is more bizarre is that all the establishment and corps do today is push sexual/identity politics down the throats we never asked for, so 'you'd think' ;) they's be all up for that boss character in 2022.

[@jamiec2023]

RIP Ash

[@alexharker7223]

Wow this is great to hear. I bought it earlier today, mostly just because I have all the other mini consoles. Knowing it was done well is great, can’t wait to get it.