Comeback Kings: Mini Mega Drive Vs NES Classic
The SEGA Vs NINTENDO was the major battle of the nineties in the gaming world. Almost thirty years later the fight is back on. Okay, so this time round it’s a mini battle, but it’s a still a massive battle all the same – who will come out on top, the Mini Mega Drive or the mini NES Classic?
Both SEGA and Nintendo have released miniature versions of the classic Genesis and NES games consoles this year. Whilst NES has reinvented their console to modern technology and hook you up to the TV, the Mini-Mega is sticking with the retro principle and using AV cables.
The Kit
Nintendo has arguably always had the upper hand on the chunky Mega Drive in terms of design; more slick, easier to store. And the mini has got the better of SEGA again, but moreso in terms of performance.
Nintendo offer one controller, but it does hook up to the Wii and Wii U and you can plug your Wii remotes into the console so multi-player games is not an issue. If you want additional controllers, you can buy them separately.
Early reports about the SEGA suggest sound quality is a disappointment and there is a question mark about whether the hardware is actually official SEGA. The confusion may be that whilst the consoles are manufactured by SEGA, they are distributed by another company, AtGames. However, be cautious that the latest console could be a knock-off.
SEGA VS NINTENDO – GAMES
Getting into the nitty-gritty, the Mega Drive totally storms the games category. With a total of 80 built-in gems, this is a bundle that is hard to turn down. Titles include Mortal Kombat 1,2 and 3, the first two Sonics, Alex Kidd, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage and Virtua Fighter 2 plus 29 bonus games. The number of bonus games almost emulates the 30 that Nintendo are releasing with their NES Classic. So on the game front, you have to say the Mini-Mega is a clear winner.
Or is it? Because when it really boils down to it, the deciding factor comes down to how much you enjoy the gameplay over how many games you have to choose from. I would rather have one game I love to play than 30 games that bore me after an hour.
And let’s face it, Nintendo do have some absolute classics which is why they powered past SEGA in the first place. With the likes of Donkey Kong, Double Dragon II, three Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and dare we say, PacMan, the NES is difficult to put down.
But wait! Has Nintendo shot themselves in the console. The mini does not take old cartridges so you cannot play some of your favourite games from the classic, and if your faves are not pre-installed, it’s back to the old days.
Furthermore, it does not appear as though the company will add more games and there is nothing to suggest players will be able to download new releases in the future. We’ll keep you posted about that, because surely Nintendo won’t release a collector’s item console with only 30 games?
Price and release
The Mega-Drive mini has been rattling round since 2012, but SEGA are releasing an updated model to celebrate 25 years of Sonic this October. The NES Classic will be out on 11 November. UK prices for both consoles are £49.99.
About the author
Zeeshan Mallick
Co-Founder of SuperRetroGamer.com
