Review cover Analogue Mega Sg (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review

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Analogue does what AtGames don't. Welcome to the greatest modern-day SEGA Genesis experience.

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If you were around for the 1990s, you almost assuredly remember the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive; an upstart of a console that managed to even overtake Nintendo for a short while, in terms of popularity. As the years go by, those fans who grew up with the Genesis become nostalgic for the "good ol' days", and wish to relive the glory by playing some of the system's best games. That's why we got the AtGames Genesis Flashback, a despised nostalgia cash-in that failed to recreate the beloved Genesis experience. There have been a handful of other, similar Genesis clones within the past few years, but there's one special system that sits above all the rest: the Analogue Mega Sg. 

Part of what sets the Mega Sg apart is its price tag. At $189.99, this is no mere emulation box; this is a modern re-imagining of the Sega Genesis, built to play your old cartridges in crisp 1080p HD, with as little lag as possible. It even hooks into the Sega CD attachment, just as the Genesis once did, and comes with a bonus adapter that allows you to play your Master System games, with further external options to support Game Gear, MyCard, Mark III, SG-1000 and SC-3000 carts. Just as the Analogue Super NT did, the Mega Sg uses FPGA to ensure compatibility with over 2,000 games from the Genesis' library. This attention to detail and meticulous recreation makes the Mega Sg the peak Sega Genesis experience for hardcore fans and purists alike.

What do you get?

  • The Analogue Mega Sg
  • A Master System cart adapter
  • A Sega CD spacer, to help the small Mega Sg fit
  • HDMI cable
  • Micro USB power cable

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Sporting four different color patterns--JPN, EU, NA, and White--the Mega Sg looks like a slimmed-down Model 1 Genesis, in the form factor of the tiny Model 3 Genesis. The front of the console has two controller ports and a 3.5 aux jack, while the top has a cartridge slot and power/reset buttons. On the side is an SD card slot, which is intended for you to flash the console with firmware updates, though the homebrew community is known for...finding devious uses for such things. Lastly, on the back, is an HDMI port, and a micro USB slot, for video output and power, respectively. As the Mega Sg is a premium piece of hardware, it should be made from quality materials--and fortunately, it is. Most of the system has a nice matte finish, save for a glossy ring in the center, mimicking the Model 1 Genesis. The Sg feels sturdy, though not heavy, and there's nothing rattling around on the inside. It's sleek and pleasing to look at from all angles, though it does look comically small when mounted to a Sega CD. 

As many are aware, playing 16-bit games on a flat-screened HDTV (if your TV can even still support such inputs) can result in horrifying picture quality, as retro consoles were never designed to look nice on screens that would exist nearly three decades in the future. Emulators, can, of course, upscale the picture quality, but you might be left unsatisfied if you're looking for an authentic, perfect way to play your favorite classic games. Thanks to the Mega Sg and its FPGA chip, it can accurately reproduce the exact sound and graphics of the Sega Genesis, while outputting a perfectly clear image and high-quality sound through HDMI. Sonic 3's Angel Island Zone, and Road Rash's Sierra Nevada levels had never looked so good, bringing back the same awe I had as a child in the late 90s, seeing these games for the very first time.

So many of the games from the Genesis' massive library have such amazing soundtracks, and yet, even on the hardware it was designed for, the full range of audio could never be heard on the Genesis itself, and that was especially true if you owned a Model 2 system, which was known for having abysmal sound quality. Here, Analogue boasts 16 bit 48KHz audio, so that you can hear every single detail of some of gaming's best soundtracks. Hilariously enough, if you want to relive that crackly low-quality sound that the Genesis had, you can go into the settings of the Mega Sg, and make it purposefully play at a lesser quality. Finally! Now humanity can be treated to the horrifying sounds of Sonic Spinball's Options music, in both audiophile and potato quality. 

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While many may be pleased with just the default settings, Analogue has also included a massive array of different shaders, scalers, filters, and audio channel settings to play around with. The sheer amount of available options to tweak felt a little daunting at first, though many are self-explanatory, and things are a bit easier if you've ever previously played around with RetroArch settings. Every Mega Sg unit is region free, so you can use JPN, EU, or NA carts without issue, which leads to the first option: video. There are three resolutions you can choose from: 480p, 720p, and 1080p, at either 60Hz for NTSC or 50Hz for PAL games. You've also got smoothing filters, like HQx, if that's your style--and it's a nice inclusion for those that might want it--but if you're shelling out for this system, you're going to see every glorious pixel possible. 

Earlier, I mentioned that the Mega Sg could be plugged into the Sega CD, and while it isn't the most elegant setup, you can indeed slot the two together, pop in a Sega CD game, and play it on the Mega Sg. I admittedly don't have the largest library of titles to test Sega CD games with, but both Sonic CD and Lunar: Eternal Blue played flawlessly. And though I don't own one, a Mega Everdrive will indeed work, should you want to use it. Currently, the only thing that isn't supported is the 32x, due to its requirement of using composite cables routed into the original Genesis. Analogue is looking into offering a DAC solution in the near future, so you likely won't have to wait too long if you're got a desire to try some titles from the short-lived expansion. 

There's one more extra goodie which you can find on the Mega Sg's main menu, whenever you boot it up. Included as a bonus is Ultracore, a game that was developed for the Sega Genesis by what would later become DICE, but was left unreleased at the end of the Genesis' lifespan, due to publishers thinking the game wouldn't be worth releasing with newer hardware on the horizon. The original development team was gathered together once more, to put the finishing touches on Ultracore, and release it as a pack-in title for the Mega Sg. Not only is it a piece of gaming history that was almost lost to time, but it's also an excellent game to display everything memorable about the Sega Genesis. Ultracore is a 2D side-scrolling shooter, similar to Gunstar Heroes or Contra: Hard Corps, which has you traverse levels, spewing endless amounts of bullets at enemies, while searching for cool powerups. The genre itself already calls back pure 90s nostalgia, but it's when you hear that distinct Yamaha YM2612 Genesis "synth twang" in the soundtrack, does the full effect hit you. I found myself enjoying the game and getting pretty into it, in between sessions of Sonic 2 and Streets of Rage. 

A rather disappointing thing to note is that the Mega Sg does not come with a controller. Analogue does offer the option to purchase an 8bitdo M30 wireless gamepad to go along with your Mega Sg, but it'll add an extra $25 onto the already fairly staggering price tag. That being said, not bundling a controller isn't the worst thing in the world, as you can still use your original Genesis controllers, or pick up one of the recently released RetroBit controllers, which are absolutely lovely, and only $15. It just feels like a minor inconvenience, considering that you're paying nearly $200 for something that can't be played around with out of the box, if you don't supply your own gamepad. 

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One significant complaint that people tend to argue in favor of playing games on a CRT, on native hardware, is the amount of lag introduced by modern elements. Many people are sensitive to input lag, and Analogue was clearly aware of this, as the company notes that the Mega Sg has "zero lag". Since there's no emulation going on, there's no overhead or background processes; using that FPGA ensures that lag won't be getting in the way of your games. Not only are they going to look breathtaking, but they'll actually play amazingly well, to boot. 

When it comes to playing your beloved Sega Genesis games in 2019, you couldn't ask for a better product then the Analogue Mega Sg. You can always emulate your games, but even then, emulation will have inaccuracies and issues that you'll have to spend time tweaking and ironing out. And even if you outfit your original Sega Genesis--regardless of whichever model--with all the fancy cables and converters, with extra output scalers all hooked into it, it becomes a complicated Frankenstein setup, all just to play one console. With the Mega Sg, you plug it in, and you're ready to go. It's simple, it's sleek, and your games will look and sound absolutely downright amazing. 

Where to buy? 

Analogue Official Site

 

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • Tons of different filters and processing options.
  • Accurately and faithfully plays games just like the original Genesis.
  • Amazing audio and visual quality.
What We Didn't Like ...
  • Controller sold separately.
9
out of 10

Overall

As someone who grew up with a Sega Genesis, and has always had a soft spot in my heart for many of the classic games on the system, I consider the Analogue Mega Sg hands-down the best way to experience your nostalgic favorites for the Genesis in the modern era.
You had to bring bubsy into this didn't you? :ninja:

I like the idea of this but is way more expensive than most people are willing to pay. If I had to choose, I would just use an emulator or buy the genesis mini.

It's nice that HD upscale sega game solution exist now. Region free too. I also like the idea of having high quality audio from the genesis, and the adaptors for extra fun even if the main meat is genesis games. Still the idea of having the "Tower of power" IN HD is fun, just expensive. Almost $200 for the thing, paying separately for the controller, getting a compatible sega cd and 32X even... Or just buy the new Mega SD which is also more expensive. :blink:

Still the ideas create some fun times for the nostalgic... including busby being in HD. :P
 
I still have a few Sega Genesis controllers but not including at least one is weird. I guess it was to make the thing cheaper.
 
Price is relative to how much of a need/desire you have for this sort of thing. Many can justify under 200 for this, because picking up a model 2 genesis with s video output, a framemeister, converter cables, and the whole pile of stuff you need to get that running is far over the cost of the Mega Sg, and requires way more effort. I think if you love the Genesis enough to play these sort of games on a constant basis, or dislike emulation quirks, it’s worth the cost. If you just like playing sonic 2 every few years, it’s still awesome, but overkill.
 
"Analogie" oops :P
This thing really is worth the money. Only complaint really has to do with marketing; when the console was first announced the the wording implied it had an actual YM2612, which is basically the same as their direct claim that the Nt Mini and Super Nt were the exact same as the actual consoles thanks to FPGA technology when they're really still emulations (technically).
 
It seems to be a very nice machine, indeed, but I have to agree with SpiffyJUNIOR, it's just too expensive for it to become a success commercially. As nice as it can play the entire Megadrive/Genesis collection, that's it, it's just one console in the end. For the same money, one can buy a Nvidia Shield TV and emulate more than a dozen different consoles, and do so very well from the reports coming in from users. Ok, it's only emulation, but emulation has come a long way since a couple of years. Only the most hard to please user would dislike the results. Can't justify spending that much money to just enjoy one retro-console, sorry! :(
 
This is a great purist system. However as you mentioned, with an original Sega CD/32X this thing is going to look disproportionate to a comical degree. Also, while it is meant to be a new Genesis system and expects people to already have controllers.. surely they couldn't push the boat out, raise the price by $10 and include one controller? Minor complaints for a very interesting system though, cannot wait to play Bubsy and other Bubsy-inspired classics on this.
 
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It seems to be a very nice machine, indeed, but I have to agree with SpiffyJUNIOR, it's just too expensive for it to become a success commercially. As nice as it can play the entire Megadrive/Genesis collection, that's it, it's just one console in the end. For the same money, one can buy a Nvidia Shield TV and emulate more than a dozen different consoles, and do so very well from the reports coming in from users. Ok, it's only emulation, but emulation has come a long way since a couple of years. Only the most hard to please user would dislike the results. Can't justify spending that much money to just enjoy one retro-console, sorry! :(
The Nvidia Shield TV is great and I love mine, but the lag is very noticeable on all the emulators I've tried. I still have my old consoles hooked up to a PVM so I'm sure it's so noticeable to me because I can go back and forth.

This is definitely a niche product aimed at enthusiasts and that's fine.
 
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As close as this is to the real deal I wouldn't necessarily call it a purist system, I much prefer running the real hardware, especially when this modernised version comes at such a hefty price tag. To be fair though, if you do want to get the best visual fidelity and performance out of your Genesis/Mega Drive games, this is probably your best bet.
 
Nah. I prefer real Sega Mega Drive Classic Mini. Can't wait! This, I will pass, thought.

They cater to two different kinda people though? One is a programmed "replica" via FPGA (simulation if you will) that can play original carts/addons while the other is a strickly emulation device using off the shelf part's that (should) be capable of running the included games emulated near perfect.

Out of the box they are completley different people needs. If you get into hacking the Mini to play the library that way or hacking the Mega SG and activating the emulation for roms via sd, then yes the Mini will be cheaper and better to just do but if you got tons of carts or want to collect then the Mega is your man (pun intended lol)
 
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I've owned one of these since they first came out and it's that good I went and purchased a SuperNT too.
I've played on numerous emulators and console collections e.t.c. over the years and they've been decent enough but they never felt quite right.

As soon as I started playing on the MegaSG it just felt perfect, as good as the day I first got my Japanese Mega Drive back in 1989 (yes, I'm that old).

Obviously the price is expensive so it's not for everyone.
 
They cater to two different kinda people though? One is a programmed "replica" via FPGA (simulation if you will) that can play original carts/addons while the other is a strickly emulation device using off the shelf part's that (should) be capable of running the included games emulated near perfect.

Out of the box they are completley different people needs. If you get into hacking the Mini to play the library that way or hacking the Mega SG and activating the emulation for roms via sd, then yes the Mini will be cheaper and better to just do but if you got tons of carts or want to collect then the Mega is your man (pun intended lol)

That's true. I will stick with Mini anyway, lol. And I do not have tons of carts because Sega sucks! I want Mini because of Mega Man The Wily War and few other games that's it.
 
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That's true. I will stick with Mini anyway, lol. And I do not have tons of carts because Sega sucks! I want Mini because of Mega Man The Wily War and few other games that's it.

lol yes that is why i did the pun at the end, because Mega Man Wily Wars is such a good game. I remember finishing all the games thinking i completed everything but then it unlocked that extra game or something to get the true ending, if memory serves me correct, great fun.... these days that would of been paid DLC sadly.
 
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Also big con for Analogue is to not have EU retailer, since I do not really know how much it will cost me with all taxes...
 
lol yes that is why i did the pun at the end, because Mega Man Wily Wars is such a good game. I remember finishing all the games thinking i completed everything but then it unlocked that extra game or something to get the true ending, if memory serves me correct, great fun.... these days that would of been paid DLC sadly.

Yeah!!! I agreed!
 
I would definitely get one of these and a Mega Everdrive because I'm too cheap and too lazy to collect overpriced used carts :P

you can jailbreak the mega sg and run all of the retail games off an sd card, don't need the everdrive unless you really want save states taht the most expensive one offers
 
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Not really into most Sega CD games, aside from Earthworm Jim Special Edition

I think future fw updates to better job since it is still new products, even SD2SNS not have FX chip support, but they stated that will work to improve it. Good thing that SD2SNS have open source development process this helped it a lot.
 
Anyone who wants the benefits that FPGA brings to retro games needs to check out the MiSTer project. Anyone who does would never touch this overpriced turd of a machine!
 
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Yeah, I may use jailbreak firmware, as it's super convenient. Super NT has new JB firmware now that supports a few special chips.

Yes and it is great (:

EDIT: I am also little curious since few places stated that Analogue registered new trademarks Analogue 8 and Analogue Pocket - wonder if it means GB-C or GBA, both will be great :)
 
I'm not gonna pay $180 USD for this. If this were cheaper, like maybe $100 I'd get it. I'd rather just get the SNES Classic and mod that.
 
Well, after decades of keeping a good CRT for my retro machines, I’m thinking about finally getting rid of it, I could use the space to be honest. But as much as I’d like one of these and the other ones they make, the price will stop me - for now.

I’ll most likely buy an OSSC to use with my original systems and maybe, one day, buy this for no real reason :D
 
Not a single mention of the jailbreak firmware in the main article despite it being available to quickly? I did see information on the Everdrive tho. But nice review!

Funny how today I see a video where they come out with the news about the DAC so you can play this and Super NT on your analogue tvs so the lightgun games will work. You could always edit this review and shove in that information! :)

I've got an Everdrive X7 for my rgbmodded WonderMega and am considering selling it where this Sega SG will replace it all together with the Sega SD.
Sega SD allows for playing Mega CD / Sega CD games via flash cart. How cool isn't that? :D I got a mail that the Sega SD was being shipped now. Will probably have it in a month or so, as swedish postal service is horrendous these days. If it even will arrive.
 
I guess 2019 is the year of the Sega Genesis... But releasing this so close to the Genesis Mini is a pretty poorly thought-out plan I'd say.
 
I guess 2019 is the year of the Sega Genesis... But releasing this so close to the Genesis Mini is a pretty poorly thought-out plan I'd say.

Software emulation vs hardware emulation/simulation. Besides, it's not like Sega knew about the Mega SG, the Mini was delayed because they fired AtGames.
 
Software emulation vs hardware emulation/simulation. Besides, it's not like Sega knew about the Mega SG, the Mini was delayed because they fired AtGames.
Honestly, firing AtGames is the best thing they could have done. Hell, even hiring Hyperkin would have been a better choice, even if only slightly.
 
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One point regarding the SD card slot and the 'homebrew community' - this is misleading. The Mega SG is a 100% closed system and nobody other than themselves and engineer Kevtris has directly contributed to development for it or the cores it contains.

The 'jailbreak' firmwares which allow for ROM loading (rendering all flashcarts other than the new Terraonion Sega CD ODE Mega SD redundant) aren't the work of the homebrewers: they tend to 'mysteriously' appear shortly after official firmwares containing bugfixed and accuracy improvements become available (i.e. they're the work of Analogue engineer Kevtris but for the sake of avoidance of potential issues surrounding a commercial product openly being a method to play pirated media remain strictly 'unofficial').

And as far as accuracy goes, neither video or audio is yet perfect when compared to various revisions of real Mega Drive consoles. Bugs are still slowly being ironed out. Hopefully Kevtris is using data from Artemio's MD Fourier project to help further nail down audio accuracy to real hardware but he's not known for using community tools or welcoming outside collaboration so who knows at this point.

Lastly - the cartridge adaptors for Game Gear and other 8-bit Sega hardware have yet to materialise. Analogue are, after all, a tiny boutique firm and thus expecting them to juggle multiple manufacturing projects simultaneously might be a little unrealistic.
 
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