Sega Reveals Genesis Classic Edition Rerelease

UPDATE: As Kotaku points out, this is actually just a rebranded release of the same emulator At Games has been releasing for years, not a response to the NES Classic. Sega is not directly involved in this emulation box. We are no longer excited. The original article follows.

It looks like the old console war between Nintendo and Sega may have found a new battleground. While Sega has long been out of new hardware development, the company has plenty of classics to dust off. Sega has licensed Chinese manufacturer At Games to re-release the Sega Mega Drive (known as the Sega Genesis in North America) in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega's mascot whose first game was a Genesis release.

The announcement of the new Mega Drive comes shortly after Nintendo announced the NES Classic Edition. Like the NES Classic, the Sega Mega Drive Classic will come preloaded with several classic games. The Mega Drive will feature 80 preinstalled games in total, compared to the NES' thirty, though some of those games are "bonus" SEGA arcade puzzle games. Still, the system includes several fan favorites of the era, including the entire Streets of Rage series, the Golden Axe trilogy, most of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the original Mortal Kombat trilogy, Phantasy Star II and Vectorman.

The Sega Mega Drive Classic also has a cartridge port, so those willing to hunt down physical copies of classic Genesis games can always expand on their library. The NES Classic Edition is locked into its 30 preloaded games exclusively.

Here's the full list of Genesis games included on the Sega Mega Drive Classic:

• Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
• Alien Storm
• Altered Beast
• Arrow Flash
• Bonanza Bros.
• Chakan: The Forever Man
• Columns
• Columns III
• ComixZone
• Crack Down
• DecapAttack
• Dr. Robotnik'sMean Bean Machine
• ESWAT: City Under Siege
• Eternal Champions
• Fatal Labyrinth
• Flicky
• Gain Ground
• Golden Axe
• Golden Axe II
• Golden Axe III
• Jewel Master
• Kid Chameleon
• Phantasy Star 2
• Phantasy Star 3
• Ristar
• Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi
• Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
• Sonic & Knuckles
• Sonic Spinball
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog II
• Sonic 3D Blast
• Sword of Vermilion
• The Ooze
• Vectorman
• Vectorman II
• Mortal Kombat I
• Mortal Kombat II
• Mortal Kombat III

And here are the less exciting bonus Sega Arcade/Puzzle games:

• Adventure in the Park
• Cross the road
• Jack's Pea
• Jewel Magic
• Curling 2010
• Plumbing Contest
• Wall-Breaking
• Bubble Master
• Break a Fireline
• Mahjong Solitaire
• Warehouse Keeper
• Chess
• Memory
• Snake
• Air Hockey
• Spider
• Naval Power
• Mr. Balls
• Cannon
• Fight or Lose
• Bottle Taps Race
• Bomber
• Checker
• Hexagonos
• Whack-A-Wolf
• Mirror Mirror
• Panic Lift
• Black Sheep
• Flash Memory
• Brain Switch
• Mega Brain Switch
• Hidden Agenda
• Dominant Amber
• Hide and Seek
• Jura Formula
• Lost World Sudoku
• Meatloaf Rotation
• Mya Master Mind
• Skeleton Scale
• T-Rex Memory Match
• Yawning Triceratops

If you prefer your classic gaming to be done on the go, Sega and At Games are also offering a handheld version of the console, dubbed the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Retro Games Handheld. The portable edition of the system comes with an SD slot that will allow players to add to their game collection digitally.

There are some other technical differences between the NES Classic and the Mega Drive Classic. Nintendo embraced the classic gaming emulation trend by allowed for save states on the NES Classic, which the Mega Drive Classic is incapable of. The Mega Drive Classic also lacks the HDMI support of the NES Classic.

It's also worth noting that the classic editions of the Genesis are not new. AT Games has released several itself, including the Genesis II, one of the first mini-console releases, some of which have even made it into grocery stores at discount prices. What makes the Sega Mega Drive Classic special is primarily its Sonic 25th Anniversary branding, but also its expansive library and portable edition.

The Sega Mega Drive Classic is currently up for pre-order on the website of British retailer Smyth Toys. The console is priced at £49.99 (approximately $65) with a release date of October 2016.