Vector Man, Mega Man, Phantasy Star 4 and More Revealed for Genesis Mini

By Seth G. Macy

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Sega has once again trickled out details of its upcoming Sega Genesis Mini, adding 10 more games to its roster. This brings the Sega Genesis Mini games list to 30 known Genesis games out of 40 total.

With a September 19 release date and a $79.99 price tag, there’s plenty of time to grab one for yourself, and the good news is you can preorder the Sega Genesis Mini right now.

It looks like the Genesis Mini will be closer to Nintendo’s offerings with the NES Classic and Super NES Classic than to Sony’s misstep with the PlayStation Classic. So far, the Sega Genesis Mini game list looks extremely promising, in spite of only half the games having been revealed.

It’s been a while since Sega made a Genesis Mini games announcement, so hopefully we learn about even more classic Genesis games soon. When the next round of announcements is made, we’ll update this article ASAP.

Where to Preorder Sega Genesis Mini

On Walmart

Free 2-day Shipping

Sega Genesis Mini preorders are $79.99 with a September 19, 2019 release date:

Sega Genesis Mini Games List

Some of the best Sega Genesis classics are already announced for the Sega Genesis Mini. All told, it has 40 games, 30 of which have already been revealed.

Here is the confirmed Sega Genesis Mini games list so far:

• Ecco the Dolphin
• Castlevania: Bloodlines
• Space Harrier 2
• Shining Force
• Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
• Toe Jam & Earl
• Comix Zone
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Altered Beast
• Gunstar Heroes
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Earthworm Jim
• Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
• World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
• Thunder Force III
• Super Fantasy Zone
• Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
• Streets of Rage 2
• Contra Hard Corps
• Landstalker
• Mega Man: The Wily Wars
• Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition
• Sonic Spinball
• Phantasy Star IV
• Beyond Oasis
• Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
• Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
• Golden Axe
• Vectorman
• Wonder Boy in Monster World

Hopefully the Sega Genesis Mini is closer in quality to the Super NES and NES Classics. It even does one better, including an AC adapter right in the box. If you have emulation worries, Sega has M2 working on the emulation for its mini console.

If you’re unfamiliar with M2, it handled the excellent Sega Ages Collections and also the delightful Sega 3D Classics Collection for Nintendo 3DS. It would be hard to find a developer with a better pedigree to handle the software for the first-party Sega Genesis Mini, so these Sega Genesis classics should get the respect they deserve.

The one small oversight is the US version of the Sega Genesis Mini includes 2 3-button controllers, while the Japanese Mega Drive Classic includes the later 6-button controllers. Since they’re USB, it’s likely you’ll be able to pick up a 6-button controller for use with your Genesis Mini.

What to Look Out For

Navigating the world of Sega Genesis Mini retail is something of a minefield. Sega played fast and loose with its licensing in the past. Be advised: there are a lot of third-party “Sega Genesis mini” consoles already on the market, but only one official Sega Genesis Mini, coming out September 19, 2019.

The third-party Sega Genesis mini consoles seem like a good value, packed with tons of games, but they have poor emulation and don’t output a high-definition signal. In fact, some of them ONLY plug in using A/V cables, a feature that’s starting to disappear from modern television sets. Don’t be fooled!

The good news when it comes to supply is it doesn’t look as though the Sega Genesis Mini is in danger of selling out immediately, as was the case with the first runs of the NES and Super NES Classics from Nintendo.

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The Sega Genesis Mini has been selling so strongly since its announcement, it’s one of the top-selling video game items on Amazon, and has remained in the top 25 gaming items on Amazon since it was first revealed. At one point, it was THE top-selling video game item. That’s a tall feat: the spot is almost the exclusive domain of the $10 Sony PlayStation Store gift card.

Hopefully Sega has no supply problems like those that plagued Nintendo’s initial releases, but two weeks into its announced availability, it’s still available for preorder at the major online retailers.

All in all, it looks like this will be a hit, unlike Sony’s PlayStation Classic mini console, which is regarded by almost everyone (except emulation hackers) as a complete disappointment. Its weird selection of games, emulation problems, PAL versions of some games, and a $99 price tag turned people off. You can still pick one up at Walmart for a clearance price of $39, to show how far it’s fallen.

Japanese Mega Drive Mini Games List

If you’re the sort of person who drops extra money to get the Japanese versions of your favorite mini-consoles, here’s what games have been announced for the Mega Drive Mini, also releasing on September 19, 2019. If it’s anything like the Famicom and Super Famicom Mini, you should eventually be able to order them directly from Amazon, although probably through a 3rd party seller. People did have luck ordering the Famicom Mini directly from Amazon Japan, so that’s another possibility.

Here are the confirmed games for the Mega Drive Mini coming to Japan:

• Castlevania: Bloodlines
• Comix Zone
• Gunstar Heroes
• Madou Monogatari I
• Powerball
• Puyo Puyo Tsu
• Rent-A-Hero
• Shining Force
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Space Harrier 2
• Thunder Force III
• Super Fantasy Zone
• Musha
• World of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
• Streets of Rage 2
• The Hybrid Front
• Landstalker
• Contra: Hard Corps
• Dyna Brothers 2
• Game no Kanzume Otokuyou
• Ghouls ‘n Ghosts
• Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition
• Mega Man: The Wily Wars
• Golden Axe
• The Revenge of Shinobi
• Phantasy Star IV
• Beyond Oasis (The Story of Thor: A Successor of The Light)
• Puzzle & Action: Tant-R
• Party Quiz Mega Q
• Yu Yu Hakusho: Makyou Touitsusen

Seth Macy is IGN’s tech and commerce editor and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.