Sega Announces Astro City Mini

Sega has officially announced the company's latest retro console offering, the Astro City Mini. Based on Sega's Astro City cabinet, the miniature recreation will offer 36 arcade classics in total. Those titles will encompass a number of fan-favorite Sega franchises, and the system will also feature some modern additions, including a headphone jack, an HDMI-out, a pair of USB-A ports, and a Micro USB port. Sega has not announced a North American release as of this writing, but the console is expected to hit stores in Japan later this year. 10 of the system's games have been announced by Sega thus far:

• Alien Syndrome
• Alien Storm
• Altered Beast
• Columns II
• Dark Edge
• Fantasy Zone
• Golden Axe
• Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder
• Puzzle & Action: Tant-R
• Virtua Fighter

Arcade purists will be happy to know that the hardware will use proper microswitches, giving the joystick an authentic feel to it. All in all, the system seems like a must own for old-school Sega fans! The system's success will likely hinge on the rest of the game line-up, but it's easy to see how the Astro City Mini might appeal to retro video game enthusiasts. Of course, the system will likely prove to be a lot more niche compared to other retro console releases, so it's entirely possible this will remain exclusive to Japan.

The Astro City Mini is not the only retro console coming from Sega this year. Last month, the publisher also announced the Game Gear Micro. Like the Astro City Mini, the Game Gear Micro is a shrunken down version of the original hardware, but the miniaturized system is actually being released in four different colors, with each offering just four games each. Sega fans were particularly baffled by the Game Gear Micro's announcement, and the system received a lot of derision, as a result. Fortunately, reception to the Astro City Mini already seems to be quite a bit stronger! Hopefully, Sega will take notice.

The Astro City Mini will retail for 12,800 yen, which equates to about $120. Pre-orders for the system have not started up just yet, but it seems likely that a number of import sites will offer the console.

What do you think of the Astro City Mini? Are you happy with the retro system? Let us know in the comments or share directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!