by THEbipolarBear

For those who faced the same daunting decision that I did in their infantile phase of gaming, the solution may have just arrived.

When I was just a small gamer, I had to make the choice between Sega and Nintendo. So difficult was this decision (since “both” wasn’t an acceptable option), I was unable to choose at all, leaving me console-less for the next few years until Santa brought me the Original Xbox. Nevertheless, if you have chosen Nintendo, but feel disappointed that Sonic never made it onto your gaming scene, I may have found the greatest compromise for you.

AtGames is a Chinese company, and they have been releasing Genesis emulators for only a short while. When the AtGames Sega Genesis was experimented with by gamers in 2012, the reviews were overwhelmingly negative, mainly because only hardcore gamers found this Genesis, since it wasn’t carried by most retailers, and the infrared (IR) wireless controllers and unbearably-pitchy mono sound were just the ornate icing flowers on the cake of their greatest disappointment – absolutely no save feature. However, since that release, the marketing campaign has increased, as well as the quality of the emulation, and the AtGames Sega Genesis is now in the public eye, also known as Walmart.

So, What’s Better in 2014?

In the 2014 version, there is still no save feature, but the emulation is up-to-speed for the Nintendo Choosers of old and only the most hardcore of Sega gamers would notice the slight pitch difference of their favorite Sonic theme song. But looking past the negativity, the AtGames Sega Genesis isn’t complete garbage. You get a ready-to-play console with ports for both actual Sega Genesis controllers and true Sega Genesis cartridges, as well as 40 original built-in games. Sure, not being able to save bites 16-bits of butt, but realistically most games didn’t need a save feature to be enjoyed, and RPGs were perpetually spinning in my friend’s GameCube, creating the soft hum that defined that game room for me.

So the long and short of the matter is this: if you’re a gamer in search of the last puzzle piece in your painstakingly perfect gaming collection, DO NOT even look into this. However, if you want a relatively portable console to grab and go on the way to a party, remembering the good-old-days of pixelated gaming, this is definitely something you should look into. A bundle 40 games and a decent classic console is nothing to turn your nose up at, but this deal should be regarded with a grain of salt.

Complete Bundle Content:

• AtGames Sega Genesis Console
• Two wireless IR controllers
• All the AC and AV cords required to play
• Four ports for actual Genesis controllers
• A port for actual Genesis cartridges
• 80 built-in games
  • 40 Sega, 40 arcade