Are you nostalgic for the days of the Mega Drive? So rejoice, because a portable version of the machine has just been revealed. What do we currently know?
The Consumer Electronics Show 2024 (or CES) was an opportunity for many manufacturers to make great announcements. This is the case of Hyperkin which unveiled a somewhat special console. In fact, it will allow you to dust off your old Mega Drive games, which is sure to please those who love retrogaming. Here’s everything we know about him.
Want to play your Mega Drive games again? It’s soon possible
The name is pretty self-explanatory, it’s the Mega 95, and it’s a portable device. The latter has a very specific function, that of letting you play your Mega Drive games (or Sega Genesis for the US version). You will have understood, it is possible to take out your original cartridges to put them in this console. This is a great feat that relies on a hardware emulation technique. It thus makes it possible to reproduce the performances of the original released in 1988 in Japan.
But then, what is the difference with software emulators? According to Hyperkin, it is of much better quality here, with still notable improvements. We note in particular the fact of being able to save and resume your progress at any time. Otherwise, it might be a little too “old school”. Nevertheless, it remains excellent news, both for those nostalgic for the Mega Drive and newbies. Now, let’s take a closer look at the design of the machine.
A rather convincing design
The Mega 95 has two controllers with a screen in the middle, with a 5-inch panel to go from a 4:3 to 16:9 ratio. That’s about all we know at this level, but what about the battery? This is a crucial element for a portable console, and here, we are told that it will have a battery life of around 10 hours. This is more than correct, knowing that you can also connect the machine to a dock like the Nintendo Switch (base provided with purchase).
For the moment, the console paying homage to the Mega Drive is at the prototype stage. So, we have no details to share on its capabilities, its price, or even its release date. The other question on players’ lips is whether the Mega 95 will integrate digital games. If this is not the case, it will only apply to those who have the original cartridges. Therefore, it will reach a smaller audience, which is not necessarily the best strategy to follow. We’ll see what the future holds for us.