Sega Nomad | Joe Miller’s answer to the Nintendo Switch, more than 20 years too early

In 1995 Sega released a bizarre piece of hardware exclusive to its North American market. The Sega Nomad was a portable Sega Genesis with a built in six-button controller. It could be plugged into a TV and used as a stand alone SEGA Genesis if desired, making it a fully portable home console decades before Nintendo’s Switch. However, it was expensive, had a bad screen, ate batteries like the Cookie Monster, and was released around the same time as the PlayStation and Sega Saturn…..meaning it was woefully obsolete. Consequently, it only sold like….1 million units? That’s actually not that bad, but it’s sort of a forgotten piece of SEGA history anyway.
This is the story of the SEGA Nomad, and its ambitious corporate creator, Joe Miller. The Nomad is seriously one of the weirdest decisions SEGA of America ever made in the 90s…..and that’s saying something! And you know what? We can thank Joe Miller for making that decade so darn interesting. For real.
Thanks for watching!
- CCP Management

[@jordans4827]

Very impressive video!!! I've never heard a kid say, "quantitative outputs." The phrase, "They grow up waaay too fast" comes to mind. Such a great job, you guys.

[@creativecatproductions]

Thank you very much for watching dude! 😎 My son calls himself Mr Business 😝

[@ruckdog]

Fun video! As a 40-ish “old guy” I to remember these things on shelves and in advertising. As a SNES guy, I thought they were neat but I wished at the time Nintendo would do something similar for the SNES. With all the retro consoles on the market these days, that dream has come true. Anyway, I found this video courtesy of the YT algorithm. You have yourself a new sub!

[@creativecatproductions]

Thank you very much for watching and for the sub!

[@johnriddlebaugh7436]

The Nomad seemed like a cool idea, but new consoles, that sported 3D polygon visuals, were the biggest hot topic (90s kids were more interested in saving up for the next gen than spend $179+ for a portable version of an old generation console). It was the victim of bad timing.

[@creativecatproductions]

It really was. I remember being shocked by its existence. It was really a strange move that late in the game. Thanks for watching dude! 😎

[@Pon3TorLord]

Something to note is that the controller port is only for player 2, that's why it was there in the first place. You can't actually put it on your shelf like a regular Sega Genesis.

[@creativecatproductions]

Great point! Thanks for watching dude 😎

[@KoopaMedia64]

A great goofy time with CCP, great episode with a new spin on the format. I once had a Nomad 10 years ago, I didn't like it that much and there were no screen replacements so I sold that Nomad. Honestly, I don't think I'd play it much even with a better screen, it's not very portable and doesn't have a place for batteries, gotta get a bolt-on battery pack for it. I get by with clone portables. While waiting for new CCP videos, I just watch the great back catalogue. I especially love the long mini console reviews, great way to hear about new old games to check out. Congrats on the 2K subs, I bet CCP will really bump those numbers up this year.

[@creativecatproductions]

I think our mini console reviews are the best too. Thank you very much for supporting us dude 😎

[@FeralInferno]

I borrowed this from a friend to play Shining Force 2. The screen was so terrible I had no choice but to hook it up to a TV.

[@creativecatproductions]

Sounds like a terrible way to play a great game! 😆 Thanks for watching dude 😎

[@VEGANVANIA]

Wakes up in a hospital bed: "Where am I, the Star Trek bridge simulator for the 32X?"

[@creativecatproductions]

Sounds about just as much fun! 😂

[@thedrunkmonkshow]

I was always impressed by the design and build quality of the Nomad especially since the 6-button controller was molded into it with the mode button. When it came out in 1995 I actually played one in person either at Babbages or an Electronics Boutique store display with Comix Zone as the demo that made me fall in love with it. But, since I already had a Master System, a Model 1 Genesis and a Game Gear it didn't make much sense for me to get one plus I knew the Genesis was in it's twilight years anyway as we transitioned into the 3D era. Also, if I'm not mistaken I think it cost $180 at a time when you could buy a new Genesis Model 3 and a Game Gear for about the same price. I completely forgot it had built-in AV out so yes...technically it was the first handheld/console hybrid to hit the market ever as none of the other handhelds like the Lynx, Turbo Express, Gameboy, or Game Gear had a method of AV out to a TV. 😎

[@creativecatproductions]

It really did have a surprisingly quality build. The D-pad was good. But it was a baffling prospect in 1995 just when everyone was done with Genesis (and SEGA in general). Thanks for watching dude!

[@mekman4]

Great Stuff, as always!

[@64-Bit-Gamer]

The first time I saw a Sega Nomad I was buying Final Fantasy III (VI) for SNES. What a great game.

[@creativecatproductions]

FF III really was a great game. It came out at such an amazing time for the SNES. That’s when the SNES was really, truly alive! Thanks for watching dude! 😎

[@bryanguidohassin]

Revolutionary! After all, the Turbo Express had only been around for five years at that point...😛

[@creativecatproductions]

That’s true! That thing was even more ahead of its time. Its so ahead of its time I thought it had to be a legend 😝 Could the Turbo Express plug into your TV though? 🤔 I don’t know. Portable gaming was such a mess back then though! Thanks for watching dude. 😎

[@bryanguidohassin]

No, I don't think the Turbo Express could output to a TV. They actually went the opposite direction, offering a TV Tuner that would display TV broadcasts (or other RCA inputs) on the Turbo Express. And they had a link cable, so you could play the two compatible multiplayer games with the two other people in the world who had a Turbo Express! I am trying to imagine the meeting in which someone at Sega argued: "Nintendo is eating our lunch, and Sony is about to change the game. So we should copy NEC's product strategy from 1990 - it has worked out so well for them!" Thanks for the great content!

[@RifeXD]

@@creativecatproductions Owner of a TurboExpress and PCE GT here (yes I got both to see if the regional variants were cross-compatible in TurboLink because apparently nobody had tried that yet. They are indeed cross-compatible. Video is up.) It's pretty much mandatory to recap them because the sound has a tendency to die with the 90s hardware and the screen, well, is also pretty crappy with images burning in and still being visible minutes later, also the backlight isn't evenly distributed across the screen so it's impossible to get a good light. It eats through batteries faster than the Nomae and no, it can't output the picture so another screen, you can only plug something else in through the TV tuner. To this day, nobody has even modified one to capture its picture. Would be redundant since it's just a TurboGrafx but portable, if it weren't for TurboLink. There are currently no emulators that support it and even the recent Analogue Duo doesn't have it so that's something that can still only be done on hardware. Sorry for tangent.

[@bryantenorio368]

"Wow sounds like something Sega would do" funniest line in the whole video. 😆 Dang. I actually want a video about Sega trying to do PC stuff instead of making console games. Sounds like a cool video idea. Never heard of the Nomad until now. That's pretty crazy that I didn't hear about it when the Switch was getting underway. Im curious as to how bad the screen actually was. ITs hard to show that sort of thing without being in person. Kind of like game boy screens. THey weren't the best, but they worked in the right light. Always fun learning stuff from these videos, and I really enjoy the presentation and gags. I hope the working father character enjoys his time in on the Enterprise! Also, Happy Easter!

[@creativecatproductions]

Happy Easter dude! 😎 Thanks for watching….and yes, those early color lcd screens ghosted like crazy. Even under perfect light (no light with only the console’s brightness) it was hard to look at. It ALWAYS gave me a headache 😂

[@Ketchup_studios]

I did a good job.. for a little boy, at least 🎉

[@creativecatproductions]

It was a good job! A little kooky but very good 😝

[@Mittens_Explains_It_All]

@@creativecatproductions”kooky”? How dare you talk to my lil bro like that

[@FeralInferno]

Great job!! ✌️😸

[@mr.milehi9883]

It's another good video for the record books man. It's a pity this thing looks so crappy even at the time. But it was revolutionary anyway. Thank you.

[@creativecatproductions]

Thank you very much for watching! 😎 Indeed the Nomad was….not so good 😂

[@starsoldier1]

Great review by the little dude on the little handheld.

[@creativecatproductions]

Thanks for watching dude! 😎

[@randallscott4581]

I would watch a video on the Switch. Kinda bummed there haven't been updates to the Switch Online Genesis Library in a while though.

[@creativecatproductions]

Agreed! I thought we’d get at least one a month for a while, but its quiet. Thanks for watching dude! 😎

[@joaogrrr]

8:31 You know what's the WORST part of it? As garbage and as small as the 32X library is, it's arguably still better than the Jaguars.

[@creativecatproductions]

That does indeed seem to be the case. A console that isn’t strategically marketed around actual games is just pointless. Thanks for watching dude! 😎

[@randallscott4581]

Is it Turbo Time yet?

[@creativecatproductions]

Its really time to revisit the TG16…..im all over the place right now with a major video on the X-Men and a video about the Saturn…..but i really want more TG16 too! 😎

[@CornelioLazarus-sg4gx]

Do you think SEGA Saturn has a better chance of getting a mini than a SEGA Dreamcast? There would be like Clockwork Knight 1& 2, since there’s a cliffhanger in the first game, and of course Nights Into Dreams.

[@creativecatproductions]

I think both are about just as likely? Both Saturn and Dreamcast games take up a lot memory and memory is the really expensive part of these mini consoles. I kind of think Dreamcast? Because the Dreamcast has become really popular in hindsight and SEGA owns the rights to a lot of that consoles best games? I know I’d prefer a Dreamcast personally.

[@CornelioLazarus-sg4gx]

@@creativecatproductions I hope if when Dreamcast gets a mini, they’ll maybe include Breath Of Fire 3 which was originally for ps1. And maybe even Seaman since I like bizarre games, could also help give it a new audience, since I think the game didn’t sell very well from what I heard. As for the former, I really wanna play and the cheapest way to get was for ps3 network, but not only do I not have a psp or vita, but the network has been abandoned. I don’t know if BF3 would run well on Saturn.

[@CornelioLazarus-sg4gx]

You know while Seaman would be unlikely since they’d have to spend extra money to make the accessories, maybe BF3 kind of like how they put a Darius game that’s wasn’t originally on the original genesis. Since you’ve said in one video Phantasy Star Online wouldn’t work, so why not do that.

[@creativecatproductions]

@CornelioLazarus-sg4gx Seaman I think is one of those vital Dreamcast games. What a wild console!

[@CornelioLazarus-sg4gx]

@@creativecatproductions it actually sold well? Cool! Too bad the sequel wasn’t distributed in the US. There was also going to be a 3DS remake. You’d think because it was a success that it would be followed through.

[@ModelJames13]

Sega does what Nintendon't, decades in advance!!! 👀

[@creativecatproductions]

Always too far ahead of the curve! Thanks for watching dude 😎

[@randallscott4581]

So, Joe Miller was the wannabe American Gunpei Yokoi. Got it.

[@creativecatproductions]

Something like that! I get the impression that Joe Miller had his eyes on grander things. He had these prestigious credentials and at one time had his sights set on NASA. I think R&D at Sega was not what he wanted. And the products sort of demonstrate that. Perhaps his vision transcended plausibility, but that’s part of the job too….to make viable products. Gunpei Yokoi was a dude off the factory floor, a self taught engineer who worked his way to the top. The game boy was so much more practical and cost effective compared to the nomad and I think sales reflect that. Ultimately I sort of blame Sega leadership for not scrutinizing Joe Millers contributions more. Like, just no. He was like the Anthony Fauci of Sega products, he has every incentive to propose all this stuff and the leaders needed to think about it, and say NO! Thanks for watching dude 😎

[@bubbythebear6891]

​@@creativecatproductionsExcept Genpei Yokoi and Joe Miller weren't completely evil like Anthony Fauci, and it could be argued that Yokoi and Miller were trying to put out what they thought were good products rather than snake oil.

[@deku812]

too big, too battery hungry and was just repacking existing tech, and even the magazines of the time wrote it off; it's nothing like the Switch sadly.

[@creativecatproductions]

I kind of like the big size! Good sturdy grip, but yeah, these are all good reasons. Thanks for watching dude! 😎

[@ordovicianscourge9520]

i hate the nintendo switch, me liking mainline zelda and mainline pokemon aside......the rest of the games........are fine but really nothing worth owning in my opinion, why do sega/nintendo mutuals prefer to leave sony out of competition comparisons? because sony treats sega (heck, even sonic because the ps3 store has "best of section" acknowledging unleashed/the genesis games/allstars racing at the time when the media was beating down on the series) better than nintendo ever did?

[@creativecatproductions]

Thanks for watching dude! 😎

[@drewgeorge2052]

😣 *Promosm*